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IjNITED states of AMERICA. 



X 



THE 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH, 



CHILDREN AND YOUTH; 

DESIGNED ALSO AS AN AID 

TO FAMILIAR BIBLICAL EXPOSITION IN FAMILIES, 
SABBATH SCHOOLS, AND BIBLE CLASSES. 



■A 

Late Principal of the Ameiicau Asylum for the Deaf aud Dumb. 




PUBLISHED BY THE 



AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY, 



150 NASSAU-STREET, NEW-YORK. 



D. Fanshaw, Printer. 






Q 



Entered according to act of Congress, on the second day of January, 
ill the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty-four, by T- H. Gal- 
LAUDET, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District 
of New-York. 



/fj^4. 



CONTENTS. 



Preface. page 6 

Chap. 1. — Address to children and youth. 11 

Chap. 2. — Joseph's parentage. Jacob's removal from 
Mesopotamia. Death of Rachel. Birtli of Benja- 
min. How children ought to treat their mothers. 15 

Chap. 3. — Jacob arrives at Mamre. Description of He- 
bron. Joseph's character. Jacob's affection for him. 
His brethren envy him. Sin, if not repented of, in- 
creases rapidly. 20 

Chap. 4. — Joseph's dreams. His brethren go to She- 
chem. Description of this place. Joseph sent to in- 
quire after his brethren. 24 

Chap. 5. — Joseph approaches his brethren. Their great 
wickedness in designing to take his life. Sin is the 
cause of misery. It is the greatest of evils. To what 
it leads, if not repented of. 29 

Chap. 6. — Reuben pleads for Joseph's life. Joseph cast 
into a pit. His brethren hard-hearted. Judah pleads 
for Joseph's life. He is sold to the Ishmaelites, and 
carried to Egypt. The providence of God. 35 

Chap. 7. — Reuben's sorrow at finding Joseph gone. Jo- 
seph's brethren lead their father to believe that he 
is dead. Their great guilt. The commission of sin 
leads to deception and falsehood. 41 

Chap. 8. — Joseph sold to Potiphar. His history given 
to us to show us the providence of God. Potiphar's 
great regard for Joseph. Duties to others to be per- 
formed in the fear of God. 45 

Chap. 9. — Joseph made overseer of Potiphar's house. He 
is tempted to great wickedness by Potiphar's wife. 
He fears to sin against God. He is falsely accused, 
and cast into prison. His good conduct there. He 
has the whole care of the prison. The great happi- 
ness of having God with us. 50 

Chap. 10.— The fear of God, what it is ; its benefit. The 
dream of the chief butler. Its interpretation by Jo- 
seph. 56 

Chap. 11. — The dream of the chief baker and its inter- 
pretation. What Joseph foretells comes to pass. Pro- 
phecy. Sin of ingratitude. 60 

Chap. 12. — Pharaoh's dreams. He sends for Joseph. 
Joseph's humility. We should not receive the ap- 
probation which is due to others; or which we do 
not deserve. 64 



4 CONTENTS. 

Page. 

Chap. 13. — Joseph's interpretation of Pharaoh's dreams. 
Pharaoh makes him governor of Egypt. Joseph's 
new name. His marriage. A regard to truth and 
duty the surest way of securing the confidence of 
others. 69 

Chap. 14. — Providence of God. Our duty to submit to 
it, and to trust in it. Joseph lays up the grain. His 
two sons — reasons of their names. The famine 
begins. 74 

Chap. 15. — The Egyptians regard Joseph as their Sa- 
vior. Jesus Christ a far better Savior. The Egyp- 
tians buy grain of Joseph. The famine in Canaan. 
Jacob sends his sons to Egypt to buy food. 79 

Chap. 16, — His brethren bow down before Joseph. Wh}^ 
he did not make himself known to them. He puts 
them into prison. He tells them they may carry 
grain home, but one must stay in prison till Benja- 
min is brought. 84 

Chap. 17. — Joseph affected at what his brethren say of 
their guilt. Simeon chosen as the one to stay. Jo- 
seph's brethren set out for Canaan with the grain. 
Difference between good and wicked men. To which 
class does the reader belong ? Let conscience do its 
work. 89 

Chap. 18. — One of Joseph's brethren finds his money in 
the sack. All are in great alarm. A guilty con- 
science. Jacob's distress at what his sons tell him. 
Reuben's foolish and wicked speech. Jacob cannot 
let Benjamin go. Judah tries to persuade him to 
do this. 95 

Chap. 19. — Jacob consents to let Benjamin go. Gifts 
prepared to carry to the governor of Egypt. Jacob's 
sons set out on their journey. They come before Jo- 
seph. Their great fear. Guilt causes fear. The 
steward of Joseph allays their fears. 100 

Chap. 20. — Simeon brought out of prison. The brethren 
of Joseph present their gifts to him. Joseph can 
hardly restrain his feelings. His brethren dine with 
him. "Remarks on temperance, and the duty of pro- 
moting it. 105 

Chap. 21. — Joseph's brethren again set out for home. 
His steward overtakes them, and charges them with 
having stolen the governor's cup. What was this 
cup '? The cup found in Benjamin's sack. They all 
return and come before Joseph. Judah's confession 
of their guilt. Why did he make it? Ill 



CONTENTS. 5 

Page. 

Chap. 22. — Joseph still keeps his brethren in suspense. 
Remarks on his conduct.- His reply to Judah. Ju- 
dah's expostulation. 116 

Chap, 23. — Joseph makes himself known to his breth- 
ren. His address to them. His forgiveness of them. 
The duty of forgiveness. Has the reader this 
spirit 1 121 

Chap. 24. — Pharaoh and his household glad to hear that 
the brethren of Joseph are come. Pharaoh tells 
Joseph to invite his father and all his family to 
come to Egypt. Joseph furnishes them with things 
necessary for their removal. His parting advice 
to them. Peace-making. 127 

Chap. 25. — His sons, on their arrival, tell their father 
that Joseph is alive. Jacob's joy. They all set out 
for Egypt. They stop at Beer-sheba. An interest- 
ing spot, and why. God's promise to Jacob. Their 
arrival in Egj'pt. 131 

Chap. 26. — Joseph meets his father in Goshen. He pre- 
sents five of his brethren to Pharaoh, who grants 
them leave to dwell in Goshen. Joseph presents his 
father to Pharaoh. What Jacob says. Life short. 
What is death 1 Is the reader prepared to die 7 135 

Chap. 27. — Jacob and his family settled in Goshen. 
God's goodness to them. His goodness to the read- 
er. Is the reader grateful to God 1 142 

Chap. 28. — The Egyptians give their cattle to Joseph 
for food. They are again in want, and give them- 
selves and their land. He gives them seed to sow. 
A perpetual law that one-fifth of all the produce 
shall be the king's. Remarks on the conduct of 
Joseph. 147 

Chap. 29. — Jacob drawing near the close of life. Joseph 
visits him. What is an oath ?- Its solemn obligation 
explained. Jacob requires Joseph to swear that he 
will bury the body of his father in the cave of Mach- 
pelah. Joseph takes an oath to do this. 152 

Chap. 30. — Joseph goes to be with his father when he 
dies. He takes his sons with him. Jacob considers 
them as his own children. He blesses them. Ex- 
planation of this blessing. 157 

Chap. 31. — Conclusion of Jacob's blessing on the sons 
of Joseph. Joseph's portion. Jacob's prophecy, and 
blessing his sons. His death. Does the reader wish 
to die as Jacob did '? 163 



CONTENTS. 

Page 

Chap. 32. — Joseph's grief at his fatlier's death. He or- 
ders the body to be embalmed. Mourning for Jacob. 
His funeral. He is buried in the cave of Machpe- 
lah. The fear of Joseph's brethren lest he should 
punish them. Pains of a guilty conscience. 1G8 

Chap. 33. — The brethren of Joseph implore his forgive- 
ness. He is very kind to them, and allays all their 
fears. Their obligations of gratitude to him and to 
God. Has the reader done wrong to others ? How 
does he feel about it'? 172 

Chap. 34. — Joseph near to death. He makes his breth- 
ren swear that his body shall be buried in Canaan ; 
whither he assures them the Israelites shall go. He 
dies, and his body is embalmed. Why did he direct 
his body to be kept in Eg}^pt till the Israelites should 
go to Canaan ? Wonderful providence of God. 178 

Chap. 35. — The character of Joseph. His strong faith 
in God. This the foundation of all real excellence 
of character. Has the reader this faith in God 7 183 

Chap. 36. — Joseph's affection and dutifulness to his 
father. These traits of character, if real and per- 
manent, must grow out of faith in God. How does 
the reader treat his parents 1 Joseph was kind and 
affectionate to his brethren. Faith in God and 
Christ produces love to others. Has the reader 
this love? 188 

Chap. 37. — Joseph's_^ fidelity in the discharge of his du- 
ties. Instances of it. It grows out of his faith in 
God. Has the reader the same fidelity growing out 
of the same faith ? 193 

Chap. 38. — Joseph's resolution in resisting temptation. 
It grows out of his faith in God. The reader has 
his temptations. How to get strength to overcome 
them. Joseph's dependence on God, and submission 
to his will. These grow out of his faith in God. 
Has the reader this dependence and submission 1 197 

Chap. 39. — Joseph's humility. Proofs of it. Humility 
in good men grows out of their faith in God. Has 
the reader this humility 1 Without it we can have 
no interest in Christ. 202 

Chap. 40. — Joseph had general benevolence of charac- 
ter. This grew out of his faith in God. The read- 
er can do good in many ways. Has he a desire to 
do good '? Does this desire lead to action. Where 
there is no such desire and conduct there is great 
guilt and danger. 206 



PREFACE. 



" Do, tell me a story," said a smiling little boy, who was 
sitting in his father's lap— '' do, father, tell me a story." 

So, his father told him one ; and again the request was 
made — '' do, father, tell me another pretty story, and a long 
one too." 

The story was told, and Robert listened to it with the 
deepest attention and interest. 

" Do, do, father, tell me one more story — ^just one more, 
and I will not ask you again." 

" My son," said his father, " I have told you two stories; 
and now I wish to talk with you a little about that verse 
in the Bible which you repeated to me this morning." 

Robert continued to beg for one more story. 

''No, my son," said his father, "I have no more stories 
to tell you now. Sometimes I must talk to you about God, 
and our Savior, and what we must do, that we may be pre- 
pared, when we die, to goto heaven, and be good and happy 
there, for ever." 



8 PREFACE. 

In saying this his countenance became serious, though 
his look was mild and pleasant ; and his voice had a tone of 
solemnity, without being harsh or forbidding. 

Robert perfectly understood it. He knew that it was re- 
quired of him to be attentive. He also became serious, and 
listened to the instructions of his father with an interest 
which showed how much parental authority, mingled with 
kindness, can effect, when the child is accustomed to reve- 
rence this authority, and to love this kindness. 

Did the father do right "? 

" Certainly," you say ; '' it is important that children 
should be taught, at proper times, to listen to instruction, 
and to acquire the habit of patient and serious attention to 
religious truth. It will not do to be always entertaining them 
with amusing stories." 

Well, if it is important, sometimes, thus to talk to children 
— it is equally so, thus to write for them. If they ought to ac- 
quire the habit of listening attentively to the good instruction, 
which is given to them in conversation, at home — or in the 
Sabbath school, and in the church ; it is equally important 
that they should acquire a similar habit of reading attentive- 
ly such books as are prepared to teach them their duty to 
God, to their fellow-men, and to themselves. 

If they read none but storybooks, intended almost entirely 



PREFACE. y 

to entertain them ; or, if they read so many of these books 
as to dislike to read those of a more serious and instructive 
kind — then there is very great danger of their acquiring a 
strong dislike to the o'eading of the Bible. 

For the Bible is very far from being a book of mere enter- 
tainment. It is full, indeed, of interesting things ; but to mi- 
derstand them, and to get good from them, requires patient 
thinking and serious feeling . 

Let parents and teachers beware — lest, by indulging chil- 
dren too much in the perusal of mere books of amusement, 
they acquire such a fondness for fiction, that it will be diffi- 
cult for them to read any thing that demands patient and 
continued attention, and tends to produce serious thoughts 
and feelings. 

Should this lead to their considering it an irksome and 
disagreeable task to sit down, at suitable times, to the faith- 
ful perusal of the sacred Scriptures — what an error in their 
education has been committed — what a tremendous evil has 
been incurred ! 

Books, surely, ought to be placed in the hands of children 
and youth — many more than are now in circulation — which 
will require some effort of mind, on their part ; — which will 
demand more or less of continued, patient, and serious 
thought. 



10 PREFACE. 

Truth, too— above all, the facts of the i3^^>Z6— should form 
a considerable part of a child's religious reading, instead of 
that mass o^fvctUiGus narrative which, at present, so greatly 
abounds. 

Grant that all fiction is not to be discarded ; yet there are 
limits, surely, to its use, in ihe religious instruction of our 
children and youth. Its influence is, just now, immense. It 
sways the minds of the rising generation, who have access 
to books, to a vast extent. It is molding their intellectual 
habits. It is forming their taste. It is influencing their 
moral feelings. It is training them up, in too many instan- 
ces, to a loose, desultory, luxurious, and disconnected kind 
of reading, which will render to them, in maturer life, all 
our standard works of religious truth, by which the souls of 
English and American Christians, of earlier days, were nur- 
tured to deep thought and a vigorous faith — insipid, irk- 
some, revolting. 

In this volume, and also in The History of Jonah, not 
long since published, the author has made a humble at- 
tempt to do something to remedy the evils to which he has 
alluded. 

The success of this attempt awaits the decision of the re- 
ligious public. 



THE 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH, 




CHAPTER I. 



Address to children and youth. 



One of the most interesting and instructive histo- 
ries in the Bible is that of Joseph. Children and 
youth have always been fond of reading it. I Avish 
to tell it to them in this book in such a Avay that they 
may get good from it. 

You have read many books, my dear children, 
merely to get amusement from them. You have liked 
the entertaining stories which they contained. But 



12 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

you must read hooks for iyistruction also. For you 
need to learn what is useful; and what will teach 
you how you may grow up to do good in the world, 
and be prepared to be holy and happy, for ever, in 
heaven. 

You play sometimes. What fine sport you have! 
I should like to see you playing. It does you good. 
It makes you cheerful and happy. It gives you 
healthful exercise, and helps you to grow strong and 
active. 

But it will not do to play too much. Something 
else must be done. You must get ready to be useful 
as you grow up to be men and women. Boys and 
girls who play all the time, and do nothing but amuse 
themselves, will dislike all kinds of labor as they 
grow up. They will become idle and useless peo- 
ple ; doing no good to others, and getting none 
themselves. 

It is just so in your reading. If you read only 
storybooks, to be amused by them, you will become 
so fond of this kind of reading that you will dislike 
instructive and useful books. You will think it a 
hard task to read them ; just as a child who plays 
all the time thinks it very disagreeable to do any 
kind of work. Your minds will become weak. You 
will be able to think scarcely at all about good and 
important things. And what will be the w^orst evil — 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 13 

the Bible, the best of all books, will seem to you a 
very dull and tedious book indeed. 

I do not mean to say that you should never read 
any story books that will amuse you ; though 1 fear 
many children read such kind of books a great deal 
more than is good for them. But what I mean is, 
that you should be more fond of reading books that 
are useful and instructive ; books that will make it 
necessary for you to think when you read them — 
sometimes to tkink hard, so that you may understand 
clearly what you read, and get good from it. Espe- 
cially should you be fond of reading those books 
which are written to lead you to think about your 
souls, and ichat you must do to he saved. 

Perhaps some of you, my dear children, will say 
that this is too long and sober an introduction. You 
may feel very impatient to have the history of Joseph 
begin. 

This shows that there is some reason for my 
thinking that you have been so much in the habit 
of reading for mere amusement, that you cannot bear 
to read any thing of a serious and instructive kind, 
even for four or five minutes. 

If this is really so, you ought immediately to en- 
deavor to take an interest in that kind of reading 
which will require you to be fixed in attention, fa.- 
tient in thinking, and serious in feeling. 

L. J. 2 



14 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

If any of you are unwilling to do this, perhaps 
you had better shut up the book, and not read any 
farther. For, although there are a great many things 
in the history of Joseph which are very interesting, 
and which I shall endeavor to present in an agreea- 
ble and entertaining manner to my young readers, 
still I shall, all the w^hile, mingle with these things 
thoughts of an instructive and useful kind. 

Sometimes I shall go farther than this. I shall 
be very solemn and serious in what I say to you. I 
shall talk to you very plainly about your being sin- 
ners ; and about your guilt and danger ; and about 
the need of your repentance, and faith in the Lord 
Jesus Christ ; and of your hearts being changed by 
the Holy Spirit; and about other things like these, 
which it is very important for you to know, to be- 
lieve, and to feel. 

If I thought that you were all quite willing, my 
dear children, to listen attentively to such things, 
while we go along in the history of Joseph, with how 
much pleasure I should sit down, day after day, to 
write it ! 

Pray that you may feel thus willing ; and I will 
add my prayer to yours. 

May God enable me so to write this book, and 
you so to read it, that, with the blessing of his Holy 
Spirit, it may do good to your souls ! 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 15 



CHAPTER II. 

Joseph's parentage. — Jacob's removal from Mesopotamia. — 
Death of Rachel. — Birth of Benjamin. — How children 
ought to treat their mothers. 

Joseph was the son of Jacob. Isaac Avas his 
grandfather, and Abraham his great grandfather. 
It was no small privilege to him to have such an- 
cestors. For they were pious men, and ail in their 
families were taught what they must do to obtain 
the friendship of God, and be blessed of him. 

Joseph was born in Mesopotamia, more than three 
thousand five hundred years ago. His father had 
lived in that country about fourteen years, w^ith La- 
ban, a rich husbandman, and assisted him in taking 
care of his cattle, sheep, and goats. 

Laban was the uncle of Jacob, being the brother 
of Rebekah, Jacob's mother. He lived in a very fer- 
tile country, between two fine rivers, the Tigris and 
Euphrates. He owned a great deal of land and large 
herds and flocks, and had many servants to work 
for him. 

Jacob married the two daughters of Laban, Leah 
and Rachel ; the latter of whom was the mother of 
Joseph. Beside these, he had two other wives— Bil- 
hah and Zilpah. 



t) 



16 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

God permitted men, at that time, to have more than 
one wife. He had good reasons for doing so ; though, 
at the present time it is forbidden, and would be a 
great sin. 

Jacob had a large family while he was living with 
Laban. I think, it will be well for you to remember 
the names of his children. For his sons, in their 
turn, were the fathers of children ; and they, of other 
children; and so on, until they made, altogether, a 
great people, called Israelites, and became a power- 
ful nation in the land of Canaan. They were called 
Israelites because they were descended from Jacob, 
whose other name was Israel ; and his twelve sons 
are called the twelve patriarchs. 

The names of Jacob's children, in the order of 
their ages, were the following: — Reuben, Simeon, 
Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Ashur, Issachar, 
Zebulun, (Dinah, a daughter) Joseph, and Benja- 
min. 

Rachel was the mother of Joseph and Benjamin, 
All of them were born in Mesopotamia, except Ben- 
jamin, of whom, before long, I shall tell you some- 
thing more particularly. 

When Joseph was about six years old, and Reu- 
ben, the eldest son, about nineteen, their father con- 
cluded to remove, with his family, from Mesopota- 
mia, and return to Canaan, his native land. His aged 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 17 

father, Isaac, was still living there. It was a fertile 
and pleasant country; and Jacob thought that it 
would be better for himself and his family to go 
there, than to remain where he was. Besides, God 
had told him, in a dream, to do it ; and he knew 
that, in obeying God, he and his wives and chil- 
dren w^ould be in the way of their duty, and under 
the protection of the Almighty. 

It was along and difficult journey, and must have 
required a great deal of resolution and enterprise. 
For Jacob w^as, now, a man of large property. He 
had goods of various kinds ; many camels and asses; 
and numerous herds of cattle, and flocks of sheep 
and goats. To remove all these, with his Avives and 
children, his man-servants and maid-servants, was 
truly a laborious undertaking. But God had com- 
manded it ; and in obeying his commands, remem- 
ber, my dear children, that no difficulties or dangers, 
however great, should weaken our resolution, or 
make us afraid. Who needs to fear when he is in 
the path of duty, and when the Almighty goes be- 
fore him, and directs his way ! 

I shall not attempt to describe the setting out of 
Jacob on his journey, nor the particulars of what 
happened to him before it was ended. You can read 
about it, in the Bible. 

One thing, however, I cannot pass over without 

T. J. 2* 



18 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

mentioning ; for, young as he was, it must have af- 
fected Joseph very much, and filled his bosom with 
the deepest sorrow. 

It was ^ve years after leaving Mesopotamia, hav- 
ing stopped at one place and another for a longer or 
shorter space of time, that Jacob was approaching 
Ephrath, and had come very near the town, when 
Rachel was taken suddenly sick and died. Just be- 
fore she died Benjamin was born ; Joseph being 
about eleven years old. She was buried in the way 
to Ephrath, afterward called Bethlehem, and her hus- 
band built a monument of stone over her grave. 

Joseph was just at the age to feel the loss of his 
mother most deeply ; and no doubt, in the bitterness 
of his grief, he wept and mourned over her ; and 
thought of all her tender care of him ; and felt how 
sad it would be for him to see her face, and hear her 
voice of kindness no more. 

He loved dearly his little brother Benjamin, who 
was born under these afflicting circumstances ; and 
the strength of his attachment you will see in a sub- 
sequent period of his life. 

My dear children, do you know the value of a 
good and kind mother ? It is worth more to a child 
than tens of thousands of gold and silver. Do you 
know the value of a pious mother, who prays for and 
with her child, and endeavors to guide its soul to 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. V^ 

heaven ? It is worth more to her child than the 
whole world, with all that it contains. 

Have you such a mother ? O ! love her ; obey 
her ; listen to her kind advice ; remember all the 
good instructions she has given you ; do all you can 
to make her happy. 

Have you had such a mother? Think of her 
with the warmest affection. Keep near to your heart 
the memory of all she did for you ; of all her pray- 
ers ; her admonitions ; her warnings ; her reproofs. 

How are you treating such a mother, if she is still 
living, or her memory, if she is dead ? Can it be that 
one undutiful, ungrateful, wicked child shall read 
these pages, and while stopping for a moment, with 
Joseph, at the tomb of Rachel — not pause, and con- 
sider, and mourn over that wickedness of heart 
which can lead a son or a daughter to forget and des- 
pise the prayers, the entreaties, the tears of a pious 
and affectionate mother ? 

If living — how does such conduct wring her soul 
with anguish ? If dead — can you endure the recol- 
lection of that look and voice of love, and tender- 
ness, and pity, and not be melted into deep repent- 
ance before God ? 



20 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 



CHAPTER III. 



Jacob arrives at Mamre. — Description of Hebron. — Joseph's 
Character. — Jacob's afiection for him. — His brethren envy 
him. — Sin, if not repented of, increases rapidly. 

Not long after this, Jacob arrived at Mamre, and 
found his aged father, Isaac, still alive, although he 
was more than one hundred and sixty years old. It 
must have been a very happy meeting ; and Joseph, 
I dare say^ was very glad to see his grandfather, of 
whom he had heard much, and also the pleasant 
place in which he lived. 

This place was about twenty-seven miles south of 
Jerusalem, and was afterward called Hebron. Near 
it, in the cave of Machpelah, which Abraham pur- 
chased for that purpose, both himself and his wife 
Sarah were buried ; and in the same cave Isaac, 
when he died, at the age of one hundred and eighty 
years, was laid by the side of his father and mother. 

Travelers, who have not long since visited that 
part of Palestine, tell us that Hebron is situated on 
the slope of a mountain, in a fertile valley ; and that 
the sides of the neighboring hills are covered with 
the oak, the arbutus, the fir, and a variety of flower- 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 21 

ing shrubs. The adjoining country is better cultivat- 
ed than that near Jerusalem. The town has a strong 
castle ; abundance of provisions ; a number of shops 
and neat houses ; and about four hundred families 
of Arabs, beside a hundred Jewish houses. 

It was, undoubtedly, a flourishing and fertile coun- 
try in Isaac's and Jacob's time, or they would not 
have remained there Avith such large families, and 
such numerous herds and flocks, as they had. 

A principal part of Jacob's business consisted in 
taking care of his herds of cattle and flocks of sheep 
and goats. His sons assisted him in doing this ; and 
the first thing which we read in the Bible, of any 
occupation in which Joseph was engaged, is, that he 
was feeding the flock with his brethren, the sons of 
Bilhah and Zilpah. 

He was then seventeen years of age, and be- 
loved by Jacob more than any other of his children ; 
for he was the son of his old age, being born when 
Jacob was ninety years old. Probably, too, Joseph 
was a youth who conducted well, and showed a de- 
gree of wisdom that w^as remarkable for one of his 
years. His brothers, with the exception of Benjamin, 
who was yet quite a boy, seem not to have behaved 
as well as Joseph did. And we find that the sons of 
Bilhah and Zilpah, with whom Joseph had been 
while taking care of the flock, either said or did 



22 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

some wicked thing, of which Joseph felt it to be his 
duty to tell his father. 

Being such a son, it w^as no wonder that Jacob 
loved him more than he did his brothers, and proba- 
bly often spoke of him in their presence, as affording 
an example which they ought to follow. Joseph 
wore, also, a very beautiful and costly garment of 
various colors, which his father gave him as a pe- 
culiar mark of his affection, and, not unlikely, to 
distinguish him from his brothers, and to show that 
in some respects he was superior to them ; for after 
this we do not read any more of his keeping the 
flocks, and it is supposed that he stayed at home 
with his father, to aid him in the care of his family 
and in his other concerns. 

All these things led Joseph's brethren to regard 
him with great hatred and envy. When they met 
him they could not speak peaceably unto him. They 
often passed by him without giving him a single 
kind look or word ; and sometimes they used to- 
ward him violent and reproachful language. It is 
probable, too, that, Avhen alone by themselves, they 
spoke very disrespectfully of their aged father, com- 
plaining of his great affection to their brother, and 
accusing Joseph of meddling in their concerns, and 
of informing Jacob of what they said or did. 

Have you ever felt so toward any of your bro- 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 23 

thers or sisters, or toward any of your companions 
at school, because they conducted better than you 
did, and received the approbation of your parents or 
teachers, and had something given to them, while 
you had nothing given to you ? If you have, then 
you know what envy is, and you ought to know 
too, and to feel what a base and wicked thing it is 
to he envious of others. If they are good and happy, 
and are beloved and esteemed, and have things 
which you have not, ought you not to rejoice in it, 
instead of envying them, and wishing to see them 
deprived of what they have, that you may enjoy it? 
ought you not to endeavor to imitate their example, 
and partake with them of their happiness % For pa- 
rents and teachers have esteem, and love, and other 
things, enough and enough, to bestow upon all the 
children who conduct well, and deserve their ap- 
probation. 

You will see as we go on to the history of Jo- 
seph, to what great wickedness the envy of his bro- 
thers toward him finally led. Ah ! you know not 
to what your envy toward your brothers and sisters 
may lead ! Sin of all kinds may appear small at 
first, but it grows very rapidly, and soon becomes 
dreadful indeed. Did you ever think to what your 
giving one blow in anger, if not repented of, will 
lead ? If you do not repent of it, and pray to God 



24 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

that you may overcome such a temper, it Avill lead 
you, when provoked, to give a still more violent 
blow in greater anger. And have you thought to 
what all this may lead? Will it make you shudder 
when I tell you that it has led — to murder ; that it 
may lead you to be a murderer? 

So your envious feelings, if not repented of and 
overcome, may lead you, as you will see in the case 
of Joseph's brethren, to do some very wicked and 
dreadful thing. 

Have you repented of such feelings? Do you 
now truly repent of them, and beseech God to give 
you the Holy Spirit, that you may entirely over- 
come them ? If you have not yet done this, I entreat 
you to delay to do it no longer. 



CHAPTER IV. 

Joseph's dreams.— His brethren go to Shechem.— Descriptiorx 
of this place. — Joseph sent to inquire after his brethren. 

While Joseph was treated with so much hatred 
by his brethren, he was led by a dream, which God 
produced in his mind as he was asleep, to expect 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 



25 



some future great change in his condition, that would 
place him very high above them. 

He dreamed that they were all together in the 
field, binding up the sheaves of grain which had 
been reaped. All at once, the sheaf which Joseph 
had bound stood upright of itself, and the sheaves 
which his brethren had bound stood round about it 
and bowed down before it. 




He told this dream to his brethren, and their 
hatred toward him was greatly increased by it. 
They asked him in a very reproachful way, what 
he meant by telling them such a dream. They said 



L. J. 



26 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

to him, Shalt thou, indeed, reign over us ? Shall we 
bow down before thee, and obey thee, as our ruler or 
king ? How great is thy folly and pride, a mere youth 
as thou art, and our younger brother too, to expect 
that such a dream will ever come to pass ! 

But it was not long before Joseph had another 
dream, still more remarkable than this. 

He dreamed that the sun, and the moon, and the 
eleven stars were all around him, and bowed down 
before him. 

He told this dream to his father, and to his breth- 
ren ; and they supposed that if it meant to foretell 
any thing, it was, that not only his brethren, whom 
the eleven stars represented, but also his father and 
mother, whom the sun and moon represented, should 
yet bow down before him, and obey him as their 
ruler or king. 

Jacob, seeing that Joseph was in danger of grow- 
ing proud by having such dreams, or perhaps not 
inclined fully to believe them as foretelling what 
would really happen, rebuked him : " What is this 
dream that thou hast dreamed ?" said he. " Shall I, 
and thy mother, and thy brethren, indeed, come to 
bow down ourselves to thee, to the earth ?" 

Still, he could not help considering it a very re- 
markable dream, especially as it was so much like the 
first one which Joseph had ; and he did not forget it. 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 27 

This dream had the same effect upon the brethren 
of Joseph as the former one. They envied and hated 
him the more. They, no doubt, wished for an op- 
portunity to do him some great injury. For envy 
and hatred cannot remain inactive. They are like 
a flame which is smothered for a little while, and 
then bursts out with double violence. We shall see 
that such was the effect of the evil passions which 
burned within the breasts of the brothers of Joseph. 

Not long after this they were sent by their father 
to feed his flock in Shechem. 

This place was between sixty and seventy miles 
north of Hebron ; so that it was a considerable dis- 
tance to drive the large flocks of sheep and goats 
which Jacob owned. But it was necessary to do this, 
and to go from place to place, in order to find suffi- 
cient pastures for them. 

In the valley of Shechem they could find an abun- 
dance. It was " a field which the Lord had blessed." 

Modern travelers speak of this part of Palestine 
as among the most pleasant and fertile. 

The city, now called Napolose, as it is approached 
from the neighboring hills, appears embosomed in 
delightful and fragrant bowers, half hid by rich gar- 
dens, and by groves of tall trees, all around the beau- 
tiful valley in which it stands. 

On the right and left are the mountains of Gerizim 



28 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

and Ebal, whose lofty, craggy, and barren heights 
are strikingly contrasted with the rich valley be- 
neath, and with the extensive olive grounds that are 
spread over its surface. 

Near this place, called, in the time of our Savior, 
Sychar, was Jacob's Well, where, you recollect, 
Christ conversed with the Woman of Samaria ; and 
here, too, Joseph himself was buried, as we shall see 
at the close of his strange and eventful life. 

To this delightful spot Jacob had sent his sons 
to find feed for his numerous and increasing flocks. 

Being so far from home, it was not long before 
their kind father began to feel anxious about them, 
and directed Joseph to go and see if it was **well 
with them, and with the flocks, and bring him word 
again." 

It was a long journey for such a young man to 
take alone, and on foot. In addition to this, he must 
have feared not a little, on account of the treatment 
which he might receive from his brethren. But his 
father directed him to go, and this Avas enough for a 
dutiful son. He cheerfully obeyed ; and leaving his 
home, in the pleasant vale of Hebron, set out for 
Shechem, to find his brothers, and to see if they were 
well. 

He little knew what was before him; through 
what wondrous scenes he was soon to pass ; and 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 29! 

how God was leading him now to take the first steps 
in that path which would end in his future great- 
ness, and in the striking fulfillment of his dreams. 

Little, too, did his aged father Jacob, as he gave 
Joseph his parting blessing, think of the sorrows 
which were soon to come upon him ; and that many- 
long, long years would pass by before he should 
again see this dutiful and beloved son. 

They bade each other farewell in peace. What 
trials each must endure before they shall meet in 
peace again ! 



CHAPTER V. 



Joseph approaches his brethren. — Their great wickedness in 
designing to take his hfe. — Sin is the cause of misery. — It 
is the greatest of evils. — To what it leads if not repented of. 

Joseph at length arrived at Shechem. As he 
was walking about the fields and endeavoring to 
find his brethien, a stranger met him and inquired 
what he was looking after. He replied, " I seek my 
brethren : tell me, I pray thee, where they feed 
their flocks." 

L. J. 3* 



80 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

" And the man said, They are departed hence ; for 
I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan." 

Dothan was still farther north, and more than 
twenty miles from Shechem. Hither Joseph imme- 
diately proceeded, and found the place where his 
brethren were. 

He was, doubtless, glad to arrive at the end of his 
journey, and hoped soon to be able to return to his 
beloved father with the good news of his brethren's 
welfare. 

They saw him approaching at a very consider- 
able distance ; and how do you think they felt as 
they caught the first sight of his person, and were 
sure that it was indeed their brother Joseph ? Were 
they rejoiced that they should now hear from home, 
and learn how their venerable father did, and all 
his family, who were with him ? 

You imagine, probably, that yovj would have felt 
so had you been in their circumstances. Alas ! you 
know very little of the deceitfulness and of the wick- 
edness of the human heart ! I told you to what en- 
vy and hatred, if not repented of and overcome, 
will lead. You will now see that I told you the 
truth. 

Neither their absence from home, nor the inno- 
cent and pleasant occupation in which they were 
engaged^ had any effect to soften their feelings and 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. Si 

lead them to forget what they considered the inju- 
ries which both Joseph and their father had done 
them. 

They had been wandering in the delightful valley 
of Shechem, breathing its balmy air, viewing its 
beautiful and sublime scenes, feeding their flocks in 
its green pastures, and beside its cooling streams, 
and reclining under its refreshing shades, with 
abundant time for calm and serious thought. 

How favorable every thing was to their repenting 
of their late bitter resentment toward their brother ! 
How much their peaceful employment, the good- 
ness of God toward them, and his tender mercies 
shown forth in all the works of his hands around 
them; how much all this ought to have affected 
their hearts with gratitude to their heavenly Father, 
and with good will to their fellow-men ! 

It was far otherwise. The first glimpse which 
they caught of Joseph, perhaps descending a distant 
hill and wearing still the beautiful garment given 
to him by his father, kindled up all the evil passions 
which were slumbering in their breasts. 

His dreams came to their remembrance, on ac- 
count of which, above all other things, they hated 
him so bitterly. " And they said one to another, Be- 
hold^ this dreamer cometh. Come now, therefore, and 
let us slay him^ and cast him into some pit ; and we 



32 HISTORY OF JOSEPH, 

will say^ some evil beast hath devoured him : and we 
shall see what will become of his dreams.''^ 

Pride, envy, hatred — these were the wicked pas- 
sions which led them thus to propose to each other 
to take the life of their own brother. 

Their fride was sorely wounded ; because, if the 
dreams of Joseph should come to pass, they would 
have to acknowledge him as their ruler or king. 
How could they submit to such a degradation — they 
the elder, to bow down before the younger brother ! 

Their envy was greatly excited. They recollect- 
ed all the fondness which Jacob their father had 
shown for Joseph. They saw him still wearing the 
garment which was the mark of that fondness, and 
of his superiority to them. They knew that he de- 
served this distinction, because his character and 
conduct were so much better than theirs. They 
longed to see him deprived of all that he had and 
enjoyed, as if this would increase their own happi- 
ness. 

Their hatred was roused to the highest degree. 
They were ready to do Joseph any evil, however 
great. They w^ere ready to take his life. 

I have dwelt a little on this part of the history, 
that I may lead you to think very seriously of lohat 
sin is. 

You see if, and how dreadful it appears, in the 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 33 

wicked thoughts and feelings of Joseph's brethren. 

Have you ever considered your own wicked 
thoughts and feelings, which you have often had and 
kept to yourself, or which have sometimes been 
shown in your conversation and conduct? Have 
you thought how they must have appeared in the 
sight of God, who has seen and known them all? 

If you have never yet truly repented of your sins j 
and besought God, for Christ's sake, to forgive you ; 
and prayed for the Holy Spirit, that you may have 
strength given you to get rid of all sin ; then you are 
in the same dreadful condition in which the brethren 
of Joseph were. Sin was their master ; and si7i is 
your master. What I mean by this is, that, while 
you remain impenitent, you will yield to and obey 
your wicked passions and desires. They will rule 
over you, and will lead you continually to say and 
to do one wicked thing and another, till you know 
not how great your wickedness may become. 

You may think that your sins now are very small. 
But it is not a small thing to break the commands 
of the great, the good, and the just God. He is your 
kind friend. A thankful heart should lead you to 
remember all his kindness, and to love and obey him. 
He made you. You are his property. He has a 
right to your love and obedience. And, beside all 
this, it is by your loving and obeying him that he 



34 HISTORY or JOSEPH. 

wishes you to do all you can to make both others and 
yourself happy. For, just as the love and obedience 
of children to kind and good parents makes them- 
selves and all the family happy, as you well know 
is the case ; so love and obedience to the kind and 
good father of all, would make all the beings in his 
great family happy. 

Sin is the great cause of misery among all be- 
ings ; just as you know disobedience to parents, and 
wicked conduct, are the cause of wretchedness in fa- 
milies. 

No sins should be called small. If you do not re- 
pent of your sins, and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ 
to be saved, by him, from your sins, as well as from 
the punishment which they deserve ; all your wick- 
ed thoughts and feelings will be increasing in num- 
ber and in strength, as you grow older. 

What a sad prospect ! Where will such a course 
of sinning end? What may it not lead you to do, 
even in this life ! Whither will it lead you, in the 
world to come ! 

" The wages of sin is death ; the death — the eter- 
nal death of the soul ; its being shut out for ever 
from the joys of heaven ; its being sentenced to that 
place of awful wickedness and suffering, where "the 
worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched !'^ 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 35 



CHAPTER VI. 

Reuben pleads for Joseph's life. — Joseph cast into a pit. — 
His brethren hard-hearted. — Judah pleads for Joseph's 
life. — He is sold to the Ishmaelites, and carried to Egypt. 
— The providence of God. 

And are the brethren of Joseph about to kill their 
brother ? All but one have it in their hearts to do this 
wicked deed. They are planning the mode of doing 
it, and in what wslj they will prevent its discovery, 
and make their father believe that Joseph was de- 
voured by some wild beast. They are talking of slay- 
ing him, and of then casting the body into some 
deep pit, where it will never be seen by any human 
eye. They are all ready to gratify their wicked pas- 
sions of pride, envy, and hatred. 

But God will not permit it to be done. He has 
great things for Joseph yet to do, and his life must 
be spared. There is one of the brothers not so cruel 
as the rest. It is Reuben, the eldest. God aAvakens 
his conscience to see the dreadful wickedness of 
what they are about to do, and softens his heart to 
feel for his brother and aged father. He begs them 
not to kill Joseph, and advises them to cast him into 
a deep pit that was near by. This he does, thinking 



36 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 



that their rage against him is so great that they will 
not let him entirely escape, and hoping to find an 
opportunity afterward of rescuing his brother, and 
of restoring him to Jacob. 

The other brothers are persuaded to follow the 
advice of Reuben. They probably perceive that if 
they proceed actually to kill Joseph, Reuben will 
have nothing to do with it, and that he will tell the 
whole affair to their father. 

But now Joseph is approaching his brethren, 
ready to show his affection for them — to tell them of 
their father's welfare, and to inquire kindly after 
them. 




HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 37 

What is his surprise and alarm, as they seize him 
roughly and strip him of his beautiful garment of 
various colors, and cast him into a aeep pit ; and leave 
him there, wondering and trembling, not knowing 
what they intend yet to do with him. Perhaps they 
will soon come again, he thinks, to take his life ; or, 
probably, they mean to leave him there, to perish 
with hunger, 

And what do his brethren do ? They sit down on 
the green grass to eat their food, as if nothing had 
happened. Who would think that they could do this 
so quietly and comfortably, and so directly after their 
cruel treatment of their brother ? 

But sin hardens the heart. Hate produces cruel- 
ty. And even the children of the same father, when 
they become envious of each other, will soon be pre- 
pared to act toward each other more like wild and 
ferocious animals than like human beings. 

Who are those seen at a distance traveling on 
camels, and coming near the spot where the breth- 
ren of Joseph are still seated on the ground ? 

They are a company of Ishmaelites and Midian- 
ites, who have been to a country east of Dothan, 
called Gilead, where they have bought some of the 
very precious things that are produced there — 
spices, balm, and myrrh — and are now going a great 
way to another country, called Egypt, to sell these 

1. J. 4 



38 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

articles to the people who live there, and who are 
very fond of using them. 

This is all directed hy God, who so ordered it 
that these traveling merchants should pass by jusi: 
at this time, that it might he the means of saving 
Joseph's life, and of bringing about the exact fulhll- 
ment of his dreams. 

Another brother begins to feel a little for poor 
Joseph. It is Judah, the fourth son. He says to his 
brethren, "What good will it do us to kill our bro- 
ther ? We may do it in such a way, indeed, as never 
to have it known, but it will be of no benefit to us. 
Why should we wish to kill him ? Let us not do it. 
tie is our brother, the son of the same father. Let 
us spare his life, and sell him to those merchants, 
who will soon be here. They will carry him far 
enough off to prevent him from ever troubling us 
again with his foolish dreams, or pretending to ex- 
pect to be a ruler over us." 

Judah prevails with the rest, and they go and 
drav/ Joseph out of the pit, hungry, and trembling, 
and dreading what their cruel hands may do unto 
him. 

The Ishmaelites approach, and after bargaining 
wdth ihem about the price, just as if they were part- 
ing with a sheep or a goat, his brothers sell Joseph, in 
spite of his tears and entreaties, to these strangers, 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 



39 



for twenty pieces of silver: and they carry him 
off with them away to Egypt, 




That was tKe very place to which God intended 
that Joseph should go. His wicked brethren did not 
knoAV this. They had no idea that their cruel treat- 
ment of him would be the very means of defeating 
their own designs, and of preparing the way for 
their future shame and humiliation before their in- 
jured brother. 

God over-ruled their wicked designs so as to 
bring about his own good purposes. His doing this, 
and indeed his knowing beforehand every thing 



40 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

that is to happen, and so planning and ordering 
what takes place, as to do just what he thinks best 
and right with all persons and things — is what we 
call the providence of God. 

It is this providence of God which takes care of 
you, my dear children, and plans and orders what 
is to happen, and causes so many comforts and 
blessings to attend you. 

It was this same providence of God which took 
care of poor Joseph. You have already seen how 
one thing and another were ordered, with regard to 
him, in a very striking manner, to bring about the 
wise purposes of God. 

You will see the same providence of God bring- 
ing about still more wonderful things, with regard 
to him, in the country of Egypt, whither he has 
gone, far away from his kind father, to be sold as 
a slave in a land of strangers. 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 41 



CHAPTER VII. 



Reuben's sorrow at finding Joseph gone. — Joseph's brethren 
lead their father to believe that he is dead. — Their great 
guilt. — The commission of sin leads to deception and 
falsehood. 

Reuben, who proposed to put Joseph m the pit 
that he might save his life and return him to his 
father, was absent when he was sold to the Ish- 
maelites. He returned soon after, and going to the 
pit, found that Joseph was not there. His disap- 
pointment and grief at this were very great. He 
rent his clothes. It was customary at that time for 
persons in that country to do this, as a mark of deep 
sorrow ; and Reuben probahly intended in this way 
to let his brethren see how keenly he felt the loss of 
his brother. He came to his brethren, and broke 
out in this affecting lamentation : The child is not 
— and J, whither shall I go ? 

Reuben was soon told what his brethren had 
done with Joseph ; and he saw that it was too late 
for him to attempt anything for his relief. For, had 
he pursued the Ishmaelites, it is not at all probable 
that they would have given up Joseph, even if the 
money had been given back to them again. It is 

L. J. 4* 



42 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

doubtful, too, whether Reuben had money enough 
of his own for this purpose ; and we cannot suppose 
that his brethren would let him have the twenty 
pieces of silver to defeat their own design in selling 
their brother. 

They had now to devise some way of concealing 
their guilt, so that their father and his family might 
be kept in ignorance of it, and of what had become 
of Joseph. 

One sin is the cause of another. They had done 
the greatest injury to their unoffending brother, and 
some deception must be practised by which to im- 
pose upon their aged parent. 

It is uncertain whether Reuben was concerned 
with them or not, in the deception. But, at any rate, 
he did not make it known, and in this way partook 
of their guilt, and showed that he was afraid to do 
his duty. 

The deception which they practised was this. 
They killed a kid or young goat, and dipped the 
beautiful coat of Joseph in its blood. They then 
brought it to their father and showed it to him all 
bloody as it was. " We have found it," said they ; 
" know now whether it be thy son's coat or no." 

" And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat ; 
an evil beast hath devoured him ; Joseph is, without 
doubt, rent in pieces." 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 43 

What an afHiction to Jacob ! He could not have 
had a severer one. Rachel, whom he loved so ten- 
derly, was gone. He buried her at Ephrath. And 
now, the next dearest object of his affection, the son 
whom he hoped to have as the support and solace 
of his already declining years, is also gone. It would 
have been a consolation to have laid him in his 
grave. But this is denied him. 

In the bitterness of his grief, Jacob rent his clothes, 
and put on sackcloth, and mourned for his son many 
days. 

" And all his sons and all his daughters rose 
up to comfort him ; but he refused to be comforted ; 
and he said, For I will go down into the grave 
unto my son, mourning. Thus his father wept for 
him." 

Jacob's sons, trying to comfort him for the loss of 
Joseph, whom they themselves had sold into bond- 
age, and sent far away from his affectionate father ! 
They pretending to mingle their sorrow with his, 
when they were secretly rejoicing at the event' 
which occasioned it ! They endeavormg to allay his 
grief, when the deception which they had practised 
was the reason whv that grief was so excessive ! 
They calling upon him to dry up his tears, when 
they had it in their power, by simply telling him 
that Joseph was yet alive, to furnish a consolation 



44 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

which would have turned those tears of sadness into 
tears of joy ! 

What base deceivers ! What wicked hypocrites ! 
What ungrateful and cruel children! How is their 
guilt increasing; and how great must be the dis- 
pleasure of God against them f 

You see in all this your own danger, if you go 
on indulging sinful thoughts and feelings, and com- 
mitting sinful actions. Stop and think of this dan- 
ger. Think especially of one striking thing which 
marked the progress of Joseph's brethren in guilt. 
T mean their resort to deception and falsehood. 

Remember that those who are guilty of wicked 
conduct, wish and strive to conceal it. Have you 
not always found it to be so, when you have said or 
done any thing which you knew^ to be wrong ? 

But those w^ho wish to conceal their evil conduct 
are strongly tempted to do this by some kind of arti- 
fice, or even by a downright falsehood. 

You know it is a common saying, that those v^ho 
steal, will also lie. It is true — and it is equally true, 
that those who commit wickedness, of whatever kind, 
will practise deception, and tell a falsehood rather 
than be detected. 

How mean and cowardly, as well as sinful, it is, 
to he a liar ! *' Lying lips are an abomination to the 
Lord, but they that deal truly are his delight. Liars 



HISTOHY OF JOSEPH. 45 

shall have their portion in the lake that burneth 
with fire and brimstone." 

Fear then to sin. Fear all wicked thoughts, and 
feelings, and conduct. For these will lead you to de- 
ceive, and if, in your opinion, there is great danger 
of detection — to lie. 

There is no security against this, but in loving 
and obeying God. Have you a heart thus disposed 
to love and obey him ? If you have not — think of 
the sons of Jacob. Think of their very wicked con- 
duct toward their brother and father. It all pjoceed- 
ed from their evil hearts. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

Joseph sold to Potiphar. — His history given to us, to show 
us the providence of God. — Potiphar's great regard for Jo- 
seph. — Duties to others to be performed in the fear of God. 

It was a long journey of several hundred miles, 
from Dothan, the place where Joseph was sold to the 
Ishmaelites, to Egypt, the country to which they 
carried him. 

You had better get some one to show you these 
places on the map ; and also Mesopotamia, from 



46 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

which Jacob came with his family; and Hebron, 
where he found his father Isaac, and where he 
lived ; and also Shechem, or Sychar, where the bro- 
thers of Joseph were keeping the flocks, when he 
was sent to inquire after them. 

Egypt was a large country in Africa, directly 
west of the Red Sea. It contained a great many peo- 
ple, and was governed by kings who were called 
by a name, meaning the same as king, Pharaoh. 

These kings were very powerful. They had many 
soldiers under them, whom they could command to 
do as they pleased, and this made the people fear 
and obey them. 

They kept some of these soldiers always near 
them, about their house and person ; and they were 
called the Icing's guard. They defended the king 
against any one who might wish to take his life, or 
do him an injury. Beside this, they were the per- 
sons who put to death those whom the king sentenc- 
ed to die on account of any crime; or, as was some- 
times the case, because he feared them, or was angry 
with them. The king's guard was commanded by a 
captain or officer, such as you have seen at the head 
of a company of soldiers ; and at the time when Jo- 
seph was carried into Egypt the name of this captain 
of the guard was Potiphar. 

He was a rich and powerful man, one of the great- 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 47 

est in the whole country, next to the king. He had a 
large house, and much land, and many persons under 
him, to do his work. 

It was Potiphar, this captain of the king's guard, 
to whom the Ishmaelites sold Joseph soon after their 
arrival in Egypt. We do not know what price they 
got for him. But it was undoubtedly a good deal 
more than the twenty pieces of silver w^hich they 
paid to his brothers. For they bought him to make 
money of him, just as people do of any thing that 
they buy to sell again. 

Poor Joseph ! thus to be sold twice as a slave : 
and now to a strange master, in a strange land ; hun- 
dreds of miles from home, from his father, and fami- 
ly, and friends ! 

But there is reason to believe that he put his trust 
in God, and prayed to him, and looked up unto 
him for protection and guidance. And God did pro- 
tect, and guide, and bless Joseph, as you will see. 
You will see, too, how it w^as again ordered by the 
providence of God, that Joseph should be sold to this 
very captain of the king's guard, in order to bring 
about the design of God, and the exact fulfillment of 
Joseph's dreams. 

I wish, my dear children, that you would keep 
continually in mind this over-ruling providence of 
God, as we go along in the history of Joseph. For 



48 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

this is one important reason why God has given us 
this history in the Bible ; and when you come to 
read about the descendants of Jacob, the Israelites ; 
and what a great and powerful nation they became ; 
and how Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, was 
born among this people, and was one of them, him- 
self a descendant of Abraham, the grandfather of 
Jacob ; you will find more strange and wonderful 
things, connected with the simple fact of Josephs 
being sold in Egypt, than you can now imagine. 
You will find that God, by his providence — his plan- 
ning, ordering, and directing all events — is, truly, 
great in counsel and mighty in work ; and you will 
be ready to exclaim, as Moses did, " Who is like 
unto thee, O Lord ; who is like thee ; glorious in 
holiness ; fearful in praises ; doing wonders V^ 

Joseph had not been long with Potiphar before 
the latter began to notice that he was a very indus- 
trious servant, and that he was faithful and upright 
in all his conduct. He had some kind of labor to do 
in the house of his master, who saw that Joseph suc- 
ceeded exceedingly well in doing it ; and that the 
business in the family which w^as entrusted to his 
care was managed with great skill and wisdom. 
The Bible, in speaking of this, says, '' his master 
saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord 
made all that he did to prosper in his hand." 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 49 

There was something in Joseph's conversation 
and conduct which showed that he feared the true 
God, and which led Potipiiar to notice it, and to re- 
spect him on this account. 

My dear children, pray to God to give you his 
Holy Spirit, that you may be led to imitate this ex- 
ample of Joseph. 

You are called upon to perform certain duties, in 
obedience to the commands of your parents, or of 
other persons who have the care of you. 

Whatever you thus do, do it in the fear of God ; be- 
cause he commands you to do your duty ; because his 
eye is always upon you ; and because, if you thus love 
and serve him, he will be your constant protector 
and friend, as he was of Joseph. 

L. J. 5 



50 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 



CHAPTER IX. 

Joseph made overseer of Potiphar's house. — He is tempted 
to great wickedness by Potiphar's wife. — He fears to sin 
against God. — He is falsely accused, and cast into prison. 
— His good conduct there. — He has the whole care of the 
prison. — The great happiness of having God with us. 

Joseph conducted so well in every thing with 
which he was entrusted, that Potiphar continued to 
place more and more things under his care ; and at 
length his confidence in him was so great, that he 
made him "overseer over his house; and all that 
he had he put into his hand." 

Joseph was now at the head of the whole of Poti- 
phar's business. Both in the house and in the field 
he directed all the persons whom Potiphar employ- 
ed, to do as he wished ; and so entirely did he have 
the management and oversight of every thing, that, 
we are told in the Bible, Potiphar knew not even the 
different kinds of property which he owned, except 
the food which he saw on his table. Every thing 
was provided for himself and the family, without any 
care of his own, by the skill and industry of Joseph. 

In the midst of so much prosperity, Joseph did not 
forget that he was indebted for it all to the kind pro- 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 61 

vidence of God. He continued to fear and obey God ; 
and I think so, because he, soon after, was severely- 
tried, and tempted to do evil, but resisted the temp- 
tation, and showed that he dreaded more than any 
thin^ else, to sin ag-ainst God. 

It was the wife of Potiphar who tempted Joseph 
to sin. She was a very wicked woman, and began 
to love Joseph, as if he iccre her husband. She had 
a husband already, and she knew how sinful it was 
to think of having Joseph for her husband, and to 
try to persuade him to love her as his wife. 

For any married man or woman to do so, with 
regard to any other person vjho is not married to 
them, you know, is to break the seventh command- 
ment of God, which says, " Thou shalt not commit 
adultery." 

This means, that a married man shall not live 
with any woman, as his wife, excepting the one to 
whom he is married : and that a married woman 
shall not live with any other man, as her husband, 
excepting the one to whom she is married. 

Whoever does this, or, as our Savior teaches us, 
even wishes to do so, has committed adultery, and is 
a very great sinner in the sight of God. 

Potiphar's wife endeavored to persuade Joseph 
thus to sin against God, by violating one of his com- 
mands, in the commission of very great wickedness. 



62 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

Her attempts were in vain ; for Joseph was firm 
in his obedience to God. '' How can I do this great 
wickedness," said he, "and sin against God!" 

The love "of Potiphar's wife was turned into 
hatred, and she sought to do Joseph all the injury- 
she could. She told her husband a very wicked 
falsehood respecting him. She accused him of wish- 
ing to have her as his wife, and Potiphar believed it. 
His anger was roused to a very great degree. He 
determined to have Joseph in his house no longer. 
He resolved to inflict a severe punishment upon him ; 
and he caused him to be shut up in prison. 

It was the same prison in which those persons 
were confined who had offended against the king, 
or broken some of his laws. We read in the Bible, 
that they ^vere hound ; so that it is probable Joseph 
was also in bonds, wearing them on his arms and 
legs, and shut up in a gloomy cell or dungeon. 

What a change for this poor young man ! To be 
taken from the height of prosperity, at the accusation 
of a false and wicked woman, and, innocent as he was, 
to lose the favor of Potiphar, and be cast into prison, 
without any one to be his defender and friend ! 

But if he had no human friend, he had an Almigh- 
ty one. God watched over him for good. Indeed, it 
was God himself, by his wise providence, who so 
overruled the designs of Potiphar's wife to injure 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 63 

Joseph, that his being cast into prison by her hus- 
band was the very means of his future prosperity 
and greatness, and of the exact fulfillment of his 
dreams. 

Many persons, if they were treated as Joseph was ; 
sold by his own brothers ; a stranger in a distant 
land ; accused falsely of a great crime ; in prison, 
and in bonds ; would murmur and complain, and 
think that God was unkind and unjust, in permit- 
ting them to endure such sufferings. 

But Joseph did not feel so. He was not made 
proud by prosperity ; and now, in adversit)'', he was 
humble and patient. 

The keeper of the prison noticed how he felt and 
conducted ; and God, who can influence the hearts 
of all men, inclined the heart of the keeper to show 
Joseph great favor and kindness. So much so, that 
he entrusted him with the government of the pri- 
soners, and, indeed, with the entire management of 
the prison. 

This was a new and difficult situation for a per- 
son so young as Joseph. He is supposed, at this 
time, to have been twenty seven years of age. But, 
his wisdom was great for his years, and his upright- 
ness and firmness were equally so. 

He conducted the affairs of the prison with so 
much judgment, that we are told, in the Bible, '* the 
L. J. 5* 



64 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was 
under his hand, (that is, the hand of Joseph,) be- 
cause the Lord was with him ; and that which he did, 
the Lord made it to prosper." 

The Lord was with him. What a privilege ! You 
think it a great comfort to have your father or 
mother with you, especially when you are in diffi- 
culty, in trouble, or in sickness, and feel the need of 
some one to advise you, and take care of you. How 
often their presence has calmed your fears and 
soothed your sorrows. How have you leaned on 
them for support, when you felt how feeble you were, 
and ignorant of what was best to be done ! 

You have a Father in heaven, who is all-wise and 
all-powerful ! He wishes you to feel toward him as 
children ought to do toward so kind and powerful a 
benefactor. He wishes you to love and obey him. 
He tells you, in the Bible, what you must do to 
please him, and to make others and yourself good 
and happy. He, first of all, requires that you should 
be heartily sorry for all your sins, and forsake them, 
and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to save you. He 
invites you to pray to him for the Holy Spirit, to lead 
you to do what he requires ; and he promises, if you 
will thus pray, to give you this Spirit. 

Will you go to this heavenly Father, sorry for 
your sins and confessing them all; and beseeching 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 55 

him, for Christ's sake, to forgive you, and to grant 
you the Holy Spirit, that you may be led to love and 
obey him ? 

Then the Lord will he with you, as he was with 
Joseph. He will do a great deal more for you than 
ever your father, or mother, or any earthly friend 
has done. 

He ivill be with you, having you under the pecu- 
liar care of his providence ; guiding and protecting 
you; guarding you against temptation in prospe- 
rity; supporting you under trials in adversity; mak- 
ing all things work together for your good : and, at 
last, taking you to heaven, to be with him and his 
Son, and the spirits of the redeemed, where all are, 
for ever, free from sin and sorrow, and going on im- 
proving in knowledge, and increasing in goodness 
and happiness. 



56 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 



CHAPTER X. 

The fear of God — what it is — its benefits. — The dream of 
the chief butler. — Its interpretation b}^ Joseph. 

Perhaps you have wondered that so young a 
man as Joseph, and a stranger too, should so soon, 
while a servant in the one case, and a prisoner in 
the other, gain the entire confidence of Potiphar, 
and of the jailor. 

There is one simple reason for it ; he feared God. 

Wherever he was, and whatever he was doing, he 
remembered that the eye of God was upon him, and 
that he Avould have to render an account to God of 
all his conduct. 

You have seen a striking instance of this, when 
Potiphar' s wife tempted him to sin. How can I do 
this great wickedness, said he, and sin against God. 

You will find nothing so effectual to keep you 
also from falling into sin, and to strengthen you in 
the performance of duty, as this fear of God. 

It is a fear mingled with love ; such a fear as an 
aflfectionate and dutiful child has, of ofiendinff the 
parent who is tender and yet firm, kind and yet 
strict, in the government of his family. 



HISTORY or JOSEPH. 57 

Study your Bible, and make it your great concern 
to learn who God is. Find out all that you can of 
his greatness and goodness ; and you will see what 
reason you have both to fear and to love so glo- 
rious and kind a being. 

Pray that you may fear and love him, and have a 
deep feeling of his presence, and of your accounta- 
bility to him, for all that you think, and say, and do. 
Then, like Joseph, you will be under the constant 
protection of God. Wicked persons will see what it 
is that leads you to do right, and they will respect 
you for it ; and good persons wdll love you ; and you 
will be taking the only sure way, as Joseph did, 
whether you are in prosperity or in adversity, of 
gaining, the esteem and confidence of all. 

We shall see these truths still further illustrated 
in the history of Joseph. 

Not long after he began to have the management 
of the prison, there were two persons brought there, 
of whom I Avill give you some account. 
f One was the chief butler of the king of Egypt. 
He probably had the care of the wine which the 
king used, and when the king drank it, handed the 
cup to -him. Sometimes he would take the fine 
ripe grapes, and press the juice into the cup, and 
give it to the king to drink. It was common for the 
kings in Egypt, and in Asia, in ancient times, to 



58 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

have such cup-bearers, and the office was consider- 
ed one of great honor. 

The other person who was brought to the prison 
w^as the king's chief baker, who had the oversight 
of those who prepared his bread and other kinds of 
food. His office, too, was a very respectable one. 
Indeed, we have reason to conclude that both these 
persons were of high rank ; for an ancient historian, 
Diodorus Siculus, who has written about the Egj^p- 
tians, tells us that the officers of the kings (such as 
the chief butler, or cup-bearer, and the chief baker,) 
were selected from the most distinguished families 
of the priesthood, and were among the nobles. 

It seems that these officers of the king had, in 
some way, offended him. He was so enraged at 
their conduct that he put them into the prison in 
which Joseph was, being a part of the house of 
Potiphar the captain of the guard, and probably 
under his general superintendence. 

Potiphar charged Joseph with the care of the 
chief butler and chief baker, and he saw that they 
were placed in confinement, and provided with 
such things as were allowed to prisoners in their si- 
tuation. 

After having been in prison some time, these two 
men had each of them a dream the same night, which 
led them to wonder at it not a little, and to feel very 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 59 

sorrowful. The next morning, when Joseph came 
in to see them, as he usually did, to find out wheth- 
er every thing was as it should be, he observed that 
something had happened, and that they looked sad. 
He inquired the reason of it, and they told him that 
they had had two dreams which troubled them very 
much ; and the more so, because there was no one 
who could interpret the dreams, or explain their 
meaning, and what they might foretell. 

*' Joseph said unto them, do not interjp relations 
belong to God? Tell me them, I pray you." ^ 

It would seem, from this, that Joseph, who had 
had some very remarkable dreams himself, was one 
of those that in former times were enabled by God 
to explain the meaning of dreams, and to tell what 
future events they predicted. 

The chief batler told Joseph his dream. It was 
the following : He dreamed that he saw a grape-vine 
before him, which had three branches. The buds 
grew, and the blossoms shot forth so rapidly that it 
produced clusters of ripe grapes in a few moments 
of time. The king's cup was in his hand, into 
which, after plucking them, he pressed the juice of 
the grapes, and gave the cup to the king. 

Joseph gave him this interpretation of his dream: 
He said that the three branches represented three 
days, and that within three days the king would 



60 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

lift up his head, and restore him to his former place, 
and that he should again be the cup-bearer of the 
king, and hand him his wine to drink. 

To lift up the head, was a manner of speaking 
at that time, and afterward, among the Jews, the 
meaning of which was, to raise a person to some 
kind of honor, so that others would treat him with 
respect, or to restore him to an office which he had 
before held. 

The chief butler was greatly rejoiced at this ex- 
planation of his dream, and that he should so soon 
be removed from his uncomfortable and disgraceful 
confinement, and experience again the friendship of 
the king. 



CHAPTER XI. 

The dream of the chief butler and its interpretation. — What 
Joseph foretells, comes to pass. — Prophecy. — Sin of in- 
gratitude. 

We do not read in the Bible that the chief butler 
expressed any thanks to Joseph for the interpreta- 
tion of his dream ; and we shall find out, afterward, 
that he was not a man likely to do this. 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 61 

Joseph, however, asked one favor of him, when 
he should be restored to his office, and enjoy again 
the opportunity of being often with the king. 

*' Think on me," said he, *' when it shall be well 
with thee, and show kindness, I pray thee, unto me ; 
and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring 
me out of this house: for, indeed, I was stolen 
away out of the land of the Hebrews : and here, 
also, I have done nothing that should put me into 
the dungeon." 

I will just tell you, as we go along, that the word 
dungeon here, or rather the word in the Hebrew 
language, (in which the Old Testament was written,) 
means any place of confinement. So that Joseph on- 
ly said that he was in prison. He was not in bonds 
at that time, nor shut up close in any room or cell. 

Afterward the chief baker told his dream. He 
had some hopes, from the favorable interpretation 
which Joseph gave of that of his companion in mis- 
fortune, that his, also, might foretell good. 

He said he dreamed that he had three white 
baskets on his head, and that, in the uppermost 
basket, there was all manner of baked meats for 
the king. He also dreamed that the birds came 
and ate the meat out of the basket. 

No doubt he waited, with great anxiety, to hear 
what interpretation Joseph would give of the dream. 

L. J. 6 



62 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

'* The three baskets," said Joseph, "denote three 
days, and within that time the king will lift up thy 
head from off thee, and hang thee on a tree, (or 
high gibbet, or gallows,) and the birds shall eat 
thy flesh from off thee." 

This was a sad interpretation of his dream to 
the chief baker ; but we are not told the particular 
effect which it had upon him. 

The third day after Joseph gave these inter- 
pretations of the dreams, Avas Pharaoh's birth-day. 
It w^as a day of much rejoicing in the king's house, 
and he made a great feast for all his officers, and 
captains, and persons w^ho did his business and 
waited on him. In the midst of this festivity he 
ordered the chief butler to be set at liberty and 
restored to his former situation. On that same day 
he became again the king's cup-bearer, and gave 
the cup of wine into his hand. 

On that same day, also, the chief baker was hung, 
and his body left on the gallows, to be devoured by 
the birds of heaven. 

Thus Joseph proved to be a true interpreter of the 
dreams which were told him ; which shows that it 
was God who instructed him how to make the inter- 
pretations. For no one but God, or some person to 
whom he sees fit to communicate it, has any certain 
knowledge of future events. 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 63 

There are many prophecies in the Bible, made 
before the things which they predicted came to pass. 
The fulfillment of these prophecies, or, what means 
the same thing, the coming to pass of the thmgs that 
ivere foretold, shows, that the prophecies must have 
come from God, and that the Bible, w^hich contains 
these prophecies, also came from God, and is all 
true. 

We are told, that after being restored to his office, 
the chief butler did not remember Joseph. He quite 
forgot all his kindness to him while under his care in 
the prison ; the relief and joy w^hich were afforded 
him in the interpretation of his dream ; and the re- 
quest which Joseph made, that he would mention his 
case, the circumstances of his history, and especially 
his innocence, to the king. 

This forgetfulness shows the great ingratitude of 
the chief butler, and how little feeling he had for 
others, if he himself could only be delivered from 
trouble and suffering. 

Alas ! how many such persons there are in the 
world, eager after their own happiness, unmindful 
of that of others ! Children, too, sometimes forget 
their own parents, and all their kindness : and ne- 
glect them in sickness, or in old age; and show 
what ungrateful and wicked hearts they have ! 

Can it be, my dear children, that this is true of any 



64 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

of you ? Think a little. Are you truly grateful to 
your parents ? Do you remember all their past kind- 
ness to you '2 Do you love and obey them? Do you 
do all that you can to make them happy ? 

Hear what God says on this subject, in the Bible, 
and may it sink deep into your hearts. 

** Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or 
his mother, and all the people shall say. Amen." 



CHAPTER XII. 

Pharaoh's dreams. — He sends for Joseph. — Joseph's humi- 
lity. — We should not receive the approbation which is 
due to others, or which we do not deserve. 

About two years after the chief butler was restor- 
ed to his office, and while Joseph, forgotten by him, 
was still in prison, Pharaoh had two very singular 
dreams on the same night. 

He dreamed that he was walking by the side of 
the river Nile, and saw seven fat and good-looking 
cows come up out of the river, and feed in the mea- 
dows near its banks. Seven others, miserably poor, 
and disagreeable in their appearance, came up also 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 65 

out of the river, and stood near the fat ones. And, 
strange to behold, they soon attacked the fat ones, 
and entirely devoured them. But notwithstanding 
this, they seemed just as poor and ill-looking as 
before. 

The king awoke, but soon fell asleep again, and 
had another dream quite as strange as the first one. 

He dreamed that he saw seven ears of grain grow 
out of one stalk, all full and good ; and that imme- 
diately after, seven other ears, withered, thin, and 
blasted w^ith the east wind, sprung up, and devour- 
ed the full ones. 

Pharaoh was much troubled, the next morning, 
on account of these dreams. For he thought that 
probably they had some meaning which it was very 
important for him to understand. 

So he sent for all the magicians of Egypt, and for 
all the wise men, to see if they could interpret 
his dreams, which he related to them. 

These magicians and wise men w^ere persons 
who pretended, in some strange way, to explain 
dreams, and foretell future events ; though they 
knew, at the time, it was all a deception. But, often 
as they had imposed upon others, and made some 
sort of guessing about what their dreams meant, 
they did not dare to run the risk of trying to inter- 
pret those of the king. 

L. J. 6* 



66 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

So they confessed that they were entirely at a 
loss to know what his strange dreams meant, and 
he was in greater perplexity than ever. 
I It was now that, for the first time, the chief butler 
thought of Joseph, and remembered his request, that 
he would mention him to the king. 
I He seemed to have some faint emotions of grati- 
tude waked up within his bosom. For, after having 
said to the king, " I do remember my faults this 
day," he went on to state the circumstances of Jo- 
seph's interpreting his dream and that of the chief 
baker, when they were confined in prison. 

The king was much struck with the account, and 
with the wisdom of Joseph in understanding so ex- 
actly what the dreams predicted ; and he ordered 
Joseph to be brought immediately before him. 

Having prepared himself in a neat and suitable 
manner, Joseph went to the king's dwelling, and 
was introduced into his presence. 

He told Joseph about his dreams, and that none 
were able to interpret them, and observed, at the 
same time, *' I have heard say of thee, that thou 
canst understand a dream, to interpret it." 

The king supposed that it was by his own skill 
that Joseph could do this ; in some such way as the 
magicians and wise men often' pretended to do it. 
He knew not the true God, and that he alone, or the 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 67 

persons whom he instructed, could look into futuri- 
ty, and foretell what was to happen. 

Joseph might have let the king continue to think 
so, and thus have acquired great honor and praise, 
in his estimation, and in that of all his officers, and 
the Egyptians. But he feared God. He did not dare 
to let others think that it was by his own wisdom 
he could interpret dreams, when he knew that it was 
God alone who enabled him to do it, and that, there- 
fore, God should have all the glory. 

" And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying ; It is 
not in me : God shall give Pharaoh an answer of 
peace." 

It is not in me. Remember this'saying of Joseph. 
It sometimes happens that others may think you 
have done some good thing, when, in truth, some- 
body else did it. Or, you may have more praise for 
doing a thing than you really deserve ; for somebody 
else may have helped you to do it. Or, you may be 
supposed to know something, when you are really 
quite ignorant about it. You are tempted to let 
others think more highly of you than they ought, 
and to have your vanity gratified ; and thus to be 
the means of depriving some one else of the esteem, 
or praise, that is justly his due. 

I have often seen this among children in a family, 
and amono* nunils at school. 



68 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

It is all wrong. It is a violation of the tenth com- 
mandment, which forbids us to covet what belongs 
to another. It is a violation of the eighth command- 
ment, which forbids us to steal. For it is truly a 
kind of theft, a secretly taking aAvay from another 
that to which he is justly entitled. 

When you find yourself tempted to do so, remem- 
ber the example and saying of Joseph. Frankly state 
the exact truth about the matter. Say, it is not in 
me. Tell just how much you did, and how much you 
did not do ; how much you know, and how much 
you do not know ; how much you were aided by 
others, and how much is fairly due to them. 

Remember, that although you may, at such a 
time, deceive your fellow-men, (as Joseph, had he 
chosen, might have deceived Pharaoh,) you cannot 
deceive God. For he knows what is in you ; your 
most secret thoughts and feelings, as well as all your 
conversation and conduct. 

*' Think not more highly of yourselves than you 
ought to think. In lowliness of mind, let each esteem 
other better than themselves." 

" God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the 
humble." 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



Joseph's interpretation of. Pharaoh's dreams. — Pharaoh 
makes him governor of Egypt. — Joseph's new name. — 
His marriage, — A regard to truth and duty the surest 
way of securing the confidence of others. 

After Pharaoh had related his dreams to Jo- 
seph, the latter replied ; " The dream of Pharaoh is 
one ; God hath showed Pharaoh what he is about 
to do." 




Joseph then went on to explain the dreams parti- 
cularly, and to show what they denoted. 



70 HISTQRY OF JOSEPH. 

Both the seven good kine, and the seven good ears 
of grain, represented seven years of great plenty 
throughout all the land of Egypt. During this pe- 
riod the earth would bring forth every thing in rich 
abundance, and much more than would be neces- 
sary for all the people, and for the animals which 
they kept. 

The devouring of the seven good kine by the se- 
ven poor ones, and of the seven full ears by the seven 
withered ones, denoted that the seven years of plen- 
ty would be succeeded by seven others of famine ; 
that the earth, during this period, would yield little 
or nothing ; that the want of food would be very 
grievous ; and that whatever could be spared from 
the abundance, of the preceding seven years, would 
all be consumed during those of famine. 

Joseph then added, that the foretelling of these 
events by two similar dreams, was to show that 
God would certainly bring it all to pass, and in a 
short space of time. 

In concluding, Joseph advised Pharaoh to ap- 
point officers who should have authority through- 
out the whole country, to take one fifth part of the 
crops during the seven plenteous years, and lay it 
up in store-houses in the different cities. Then, 
during the seven years of famine, there would be a 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 71 

supply for the people, and they would not perish 
with hunger. 

This advice of Joseph was much approved by 
the king, and by those who assisted him in carry- 
ing on his government ; and he observed that he 
thought a better man to conduct the whole busi- 
ness could not be found than Joseph — in whom, 
said he, the Spirit of God is. 

*' And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as 
God hath showed thee all this, there is none so 
discreet and wise as thou art. Thou shalt be over 
my house, and according unto thy word shall all 
my people be ruled : only in the throne will I be 
greater than thou. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, 
See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt." 

After saying this, Pharaoh took off the beautiful 
and costly ring which he wore, and put it on Jo- 
seph's finger, and had him clad in garments of fine 
linen, and put a gold chain about his neck. All of 
this was to show the great authority which the 
king conferred upon Joseph, and the respect with 
which he was to be treated. 

He also ordered Joseph to ride in the second 
chariot, next his own, and they cried before him, 
Bov) the knee ; and he was made ruler over all the 
land of Egypt, with authority of a very absolute 
kind, and second only to that of the king. 



72 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

In addition to this, Pharaoh gave Joseph a new- 
name. This was an ancient custom among the 
eastern nations, when the kings chose any one, and 
especially a foreigner, to be high in office and honor. 

The name which was thus given to Joseph, was 
Zajphnaih-paaneah. 

There is a difference of opinion with regard io 
the meaning of this name. Some think that it 
means, a revealer of secrets^ and that it was given 
to Joseph on account of the great wisdom which he 
discovered in the interpretation of the dreams, 
and of his spirit of prophecy in foretelling future 
events. 

Others think that it w^as an Egyptian word, 
meaning, Savior of the worlds a high-sounding 
title, (such as eastern nations are very fond of 
using,) to shew the great good which a man of 
Joseph's character would do to the whole nation. 
» Pharaoh also provided him a wife from a very 
distinguished family. Her name was Asenath, the 
daughter of Potipherah, priest, or prince, of On, 
which was a famous city in Egypt, over which, 
and the adjoining country, it is probable he was the 
ruler. i 

In this elevation of Joseph to such great autho- 
rity and honor, it is worthy of particular notice 
that Pharaoh approved of him, because the S;pirit of 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 73 

God was ill him ; and that he considered his ad- 
vice SO discreet and wise, because God had in- 
structed him, 

Pharaoh knew, indeed, little, or nothing, of the 
true God in whom Joseph believed ; but he saw 
something very striking in the character and con- 
duct of this young Hebrew. He heard Joseph say, 
It is not in me : God shall give Pharaoh an an- 
sioer of 'peace. He respected Joseph for this, and 
felt the greatest confidence in him. 

Remember that nothing gains the respect and 
confidence of others, and even of the most wicked 
men, so surely as a strict regard to truth, and to the 
obligations which we owe to God. 

Let those w4th whom you have any thing to do, 
see that you fear God-, and intend to look to him for 
instruction and guidance in the discharge of your 
duty ; and the more your real character is known, 
the more you will gain that regard and esteem 
which will be uniform and lasting. 
( Others will he willing to trust you in the va- 
rious concerns of life. 

And though you may never be called to stations 
of great authority and honor, as Joseph was, it will 
be worth a great deal to you, and a source of the 
highest inward satisfaction, to have this esteem and 
confidence of your fellow-men, in the humblest 

L. J. 7 



74 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

station ; and to know that you have it, because yoxi 
endeavor, with the aid of his grace, to fear God and 
keep his commandments. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

Providence of God. — Oar duty to submit to it, and to trust 
in it. — Joseph lays up the grain. — His two sons, reasons 
of their names. — The famine begins. 

How wonderful w^ere the steps Avhich raised 
Joseph from being the son of a husbandman in Ca- 
naan, and thirteen years in bondage, to the office of 
governor of Egypt, and next in authority to the 
king of that great country I 

In looking back upon these steps, how much we 
have to admire the providence of God, in bringing 
good out of evil, and in overruling the wicked pas- 
sions of man, so as to acoomplish his own wise and 
benevolent purposes ! 

I refer to this subject thus often, my dear chil- 
dren, that it may be fresh in your minds, as w^e 
pass from one event to another in the history of 
Joseph. For no one truth ought to be more deeply 
felt by you than that of this overruling providence 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 75 

of God. Study it as you read other parts of the 
Bible, and the histories of nations and of indivi- 
duals. Study it in the history of your own lives, 
and in those of your friends. 

If you truly love God and put your trust in him, 
this doctrine of his providence will be to you a 
source of constant comfort and support. 

Knowing that nothing- happens without his 
knowledge and permission, and that his govern- 
ment reaches to the smallest things as well as to 
the greatest, you will always feel safe under his 
care — -just as a little child feels safe in the arms of 
a kind father or mother. 

We are taught in the Bible, that all things work 
together for good to them that love God ; all things, 
prosperity or adversity, health or sickness, life or 
death. It was so in the case of Joseph. It will be 
so in yours, if you do, indeed, love God, and put 
your trust in him. Even in this world you will 
find many things which at first appear very dis- 
couraging, and give you much pain and trouble, 
afterward so overruled by the providence of God, 
as to work together for your comfort and happiness. 
And if they do not, and you are still called on to 
endure various kinds of suflirings and trials, bear 
them with submission and patience. God sees that 
his children need such chastisements, just as a kind 



76 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

father sees that his sick child needs medicine to re- 
store him to health. These sufferings and trials, if 
you beseech God to give you the Holy Spirit, that 
you may make a wise use of them, will do your 
soul good. They will work together to increase 
your love to God, and your faith in Christ, and 
your imitation of his blessed example. They will 
prepare you for a peaceful death, and for greater 
happiness in heaven. 

Study, then, the providence of God, and learn 
every day that you live to get both wisdom and 
comfort from \U 

Joseph, himself, had still further reason to ad- 
mire this providence of God, and to trust in it. 

When he was made governor of Egypt he was 
about thirty years old. He soon entered upon the 
discharge of his arduous duties. He left the king 
and took a journey throughout the whole land. 

This enabled him to see the condition of the peo- 
ple, and to do those things which were necessary 
to prepare for the seven years of famine that would 
be soon at hand. 

During the seven years of plenty, the earth 
brought forth every thing in great abundance. 
God ordered it so, as Joseph told Pharaoh it would 
be. It was his kind providence which made every 
thing work together — the sunshine and rain, the 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 



77 



clouds, and winds, and storms ; the planting of the 
seeds, their growing up to ripeness, and their in- 
gathering in the time of harvest ; the health and 
strength of the inhabitants, and their willing- 
ness and ability to labor ; it was the kind provi- 
dence of God which made all these things '* work 
together," so as to produce such plenty throughout 
the whole land, that we are told that Joseph ga- 




thered in the grain " as the sand of the sea." He 
began to keep an account of it, to find how many 
bushels there were ; but it came in in such quanti- 
ties that he left off numbering it. 



L. J. 



78 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

He laid it up in store-houses in the cities, and 
doubtless, appointed suitable officers under him, to 
take care of it, that it might be kept in safety for the 
future supply of the people. 

Before the years of famine came, Joseph had 
two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 

Manasseh is a word which means, causing to 
forget. Joseph gave this name to his eldest son, 
*' for God," said he, " hath made me forget all my 
toil, and all my father's house;" that is, the va- 
rious trials and sufferings which I have undergone 
here, in Egypt, and also those which I endured 
while at home, from my envious and cruel brethren. 

His other son, Joseph called JEphraim, because 
this word means, made fruitful, " For God," said 
he, " hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my 
affliction." 

It was, doubtless, a great comfort to him to be the 
father of these two sons, and to have a family of his 
own ; separated, as he was, such a great distance 
from his father, and from all the delights and privi- 
leges of his father's house. 

At length the seven years of plenty were ended, 
and those of famine came. 

This famine extended, not only over all the land 
of Egypt, but through other lands. Every where 
else, it was very grievous, and the people found it 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 79 

exceedingly difficult to procure food enough to keep 
them in life ; hut in all the land of Egypt there was 
enough laid up for the supply of its inhabitants. 

As soon as the Egyptians began to be in great 
want of food, having consumed all which they them- 
selves had laid up in their own houses, " they cried 
to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all 
the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to 
you, do." 



CHAPTER XV. 

The Egyptians regard Joseph as their Savior, — Jesus Christ 
a far better Savior. — The Egyptians buy grain of Joseph. 
— The famine in Canaan. — Jacob sends his sons to Egypt 
to buy food. 

Joseph, at this time, must have been regarded as 
being, to the Egyptians, what the new name given to 
him by Pharaoh, probably implied. And as they 
bowed the knee before him in their necessity, and 
looked to him for the food which they and their fa- 
milies so much needed, and addressed him by the 
title of Zaphnath-paaneah, they might well feel 
that he was their Savior. 



80 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

I do not mean, in the sense in which we callJesus 
Christ the Savior of the world ; to save men from 
their sins, and the eternal death of the soul ; and 
to furnish them with divine truth, and the influences 
of the Holy Spirit, that heavenly food which will 
nourish the soul, and cause it to live for ever in a 
better and happier world. 

Alas ! the poor, ignorant Egyptians, I fear, cared 
very little about their souls, or to find out how they 
might be saved, and how heavenly food was to be 
procured for their nourishment. 

The most, if not all, that they were anxious for, 
was to be saved from the famine which was so dread- 
ful ; and when they found that Joseph had the means 
of saving them from it, they, doubtless, looked up to 
him as their best friend, their great deliverer, their 
powerful Savior, their Zajphnath-paaneah. 

Here I would make one single inquiry. Are you 
as willing and as ready to go to Jesus Christ, to be 
saved from spiritual famine, from the eternal death 
of the soul ; as the Egyptians were to go to Joseph, 
to be saved from the famine which they endured, and 
from the death of the mere body ? I put the question. 
You must think about it, and answer it. 

Joseph opened all the store-houses in the different 
cities in which the grain had been safely laid up 
during the seven years of plenty, and sold it unto 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 81 

the Egyptians ; so that they could feed themselves 
and their families. 

How glad many a poor, and almost starving, lit- 
tle boy and girl must have been, to see their father 
bringing the grain home, from which their mother 
could make them some bread ! 

Think of the abundance, my dear children, which 
you have, and of the store-house from which it all 
comes, the overflowing bounty of your Father who 
is in heaven ; and show your gratitude to him by 
your obedience to his commands. 

Not only the Egyptians, but people who lived in 
other countries where the famine prevailed, came in- 
to Egypt to buy grain of Joseph. So that, in this 
way, his wisdom and industry, under the guidance 
of God, who taught him the meaning of Pharaoh's 
dreams, were the means of saving the lives of a 
great many. 

Yes ; in the wonderful providence of God, Joseph 
was soon to be instrumental in saving the lives of his 
own beloved father and family, and of the very bre- 
thren who had treated him so cruelly, and of their 
families. 

For the famine extended to Judea, the country 
where Jacob lived, and the people there were suf- 
fering greatly from it. In the midst of their distress, 
Jacob heard that grain could be bought in Egypt, 



82 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

and determined to send thither for a supply. He 
called his sons together, and asked them why they 
looked one upon another in so much sadness and de- 
spondency, as if nothing could be done for their re- 
lief. He told them he had heard that grain could 
be procured in Egypt, and that they must go thither 
and buy some, to save himself, and all of them, from 
the death which must other w^ise inevitably over- 
take them. 

It is probable that Jacob and his family, and his 
sons and their families, all lived, at that time, very 
near each other, and that they formed, as it were, one 
great family, of which Jacob was the 'patriarch, or 
head. They had one common interest ; and suffer- 
ing together for the w^ant of food, it was necessary to 
make one great and vigorous effort for their mutual 
relief. 

It was a long journey of several hundred miles to 
Egypt, and it would be attended with great inconve- 
nience for the sons of Jacob to go such a distance. 
But there w^as no other way of procuring food ; and 
all but Benjamin concluded to go. 

Benjamin was the younger brother of Joseph, and 
born, you recollect, just before their mother Rachel 
died. There were many circumstances, the recollec- 
tion of which endeared the memory of Rachel to 
Jacob. He loved her jirst ; and he loved her the 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 83 

best of all his wives. He had, of course, a great fond- 
ness for her children ; and as Joseph, as he believ- 
ed, was dead, he could not bear to have Benjamin 
leave home, lest some injury might befall him. 

It is not surprising at all, that Jacob should feel 
thus tenderly toward Benjamin, when w^e consider 
that he was now far advanced in life, being nearly 
one hundred and thirty years old. But a few years 
before, he had buried his father Isaac, in the cave at 
Machpelah, by the side of Abraham and Sarah. He 
Avas himself drawing nigh the close of life, and feel- 
ing more sensibly his feebleness, and the need of 
some one to comfort him, Benjamin had taken the 
place of Joseph in his affections, and while he 
mourned over the loss of the son whom he thought 
the wild beasts had devoured, he pressed his brother 
more closely to his bosom, and leaned on him as the 
support and consolation of his declining years. 

Do you suppose that the brethren of Joseph, 
on their way to Egypt, thought that, as the Ishmaei- 
ites, to w^hom they sold him, went to that country, 
it ^ was possible they might meet him there ? It 
certainly w^ould not be strange if some such thoughts 
passed through their minds ; though they would ex- 
pect to find him still a slave, or in some very hum- 
ble station in life. Should they meet with any one, 
high in powder and rank, who might bear even a 



84 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

considerable resemblance to their brother, it is not 
probable that they would suspect that he was Joseph. 
For it would seem to them utterly impossible for 
one sold as a slave, and a foreigner too, in a land of 
strangers, to rise to such an elevation. 



CHAPTER XVI 

His brethren bow down before Joseph. — Why he did not 
make himself known to them. — He puts them into prison. 
— He tells them they may carry grain home ; but one 
must stay in prison till Benjamin be brought. 

On their arrival in Egypt, after making inquiry 
how they could procure some grain, they found that 
they must apply to Zaphnath-paaiieah, who was go- 
vernor over the whole land, and had the distribution 
and selling of the grain entirely under his own di- 
rection. 

On going to the place of his residence, they were 
introduced into his presence. As they approached 
him, they bowed dovm themselves before him, with 
their faces to the earth. This they did, as it is still the 
custom to do among the nations of the east, to show 
the deep reverence which they felt for one whom 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 85 

they thus acknowledged to be ver}^ very high above 
them in rank and power. 

The dream of Joseph now received its fuliillment. 
The sheaves of his brethren had bowed down before 
his sheaf; and now they, themselves, in like man- 
ner, bow doAvn in his presence, and are dependent 
on him, to save them and their aged father, and their 
whole family, from perishing with hunger ! 

They rose up, and stood before Joseph. They had 
no thought whatever of his being their brother. But 
he knew them, and if he had chosen, might have 
taken the deepest revenge for all the injuries they 
had inflicted upon him. 

But such Avas not his disposition. He knew how 
to return good for evil, and intended to do the great- 
est kindness to them, and to his aged father. 

In bringing this about, however, he thought it 
best not to make himself, at once, known to them. 
He remembered his dreams, and saw now" their ful- 
fillment in part. He expected that, in the providence 
of God, he was to be instrumental in the accomplish- 
ment of still further wonderful events, also connect- 
ed with his dreams. He seems to have wished to try 
his brethren, and perhaps to prepare them for a more 
sincere repentance for their former cruelty toward 
him. In addition to this, he perceived that his young- 

L. J. 8 



86 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

est brother Benjamin, whom he loved so tenderly, 
was not among them. 

He feared, perhaps, that they had conceived a 
dreadful hatred against him also, as being a fa- 
vorite son of their father, and had possibly taken 
his life. He knew that, if they had done this, and if 
he should make any direct inquiries about Benja- 
min, they would not tell him the truth, but contrive 
some falsehood to deceive him, as they had former- 
ly deceived their father. 

For these reasons, or for some others which we 
do not fully understand, Joseph not only did not 
make himself known to his brethren, but acted to- 
ward them as if he did not know, at all, who they 
were. 

He even put on a strange and rough manner, 
that he might the more effectually conceal himself 
and carry his plans into effect. 

He asked them from w^hat country they came. 
And when they said, from Canaan, to buy food, he 
charged them with being spies, and said that they 
had come to see the poverty and weakness of Egpyt, 
that they might carry word back to some large and 
powerful people who wished to come and plunder 
the Egyptians, and perhaps to conquer them and get 
possession of their country. 

To this the sons of Jacob replied, that they were 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 87 

very far, indeed, from being spies, or from coming 
to Egypt with any such design. 

" Nay," said they, '* my lord, but to buy food are 
thy servants come. We are all one man's sons ;" 
as if they had said, we do not belong to any power- 
ful tribe or nation, but are a small number of peo- 
ple — a single family — under one patriarch or head. 
*' We are true men ; th^r servants are no spies." 

On Joseph's repeating his former accusation, 
they again replied, that they belonged to a family 
of twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land 
of Canaan ; that the youngest was at home with 
their father, and that the other brother icas not. 

Whether they meant, by this latter expression, to 
avoid telling a downright falsehood, it may be dif- 
ficult to determine. But if they did, it was a poor 
way of doing it. They must have known that they 
would be understood to say that their brother was 
dead ; and this made it a falsehood, no matter what 
the language was. 

Joseph still appeared w^holly unwilling to believe 
what they said, and told them that there was one 
way by which he would prove whether they spoke 
the truth or not. 

*' By the life of Pharaoh," said he, (or, as sure as 
Pharaoh is alive,) " ye shall not go forth hence, 
except your youngest brother come hither. Send 



88 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

one of you, and let him fetch your brother; and ye 
shall be kept in prison, that your words may be 
proved, whether there be any truth in you : or else, 
by the life of Pharaoh, surely ye are spies." 

Joseph then put them all into prison for three 
days. At the end of that time he said to them, 
** this do, and live : for I fear God. If ye be true 
men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house 
of your prison : go ye, carry corn (or grain) for 
the famine in your houses (or families:) but bring 
your youngest brother unto me ; so shall your 
words be verified, (or be shown to be true,) and ye 
shall not die." 

Their former guilt now rose up before them, 
and, although more than twenty years had elapsed 
since they sold their brother as a slave, the recol- 
lection of that wicked and cruel transaction began 
to arouse their consciences, and they felt something 
of the bitterness of remorse. 

They saw that they were in trouble. They knew 
not what the result would be. They felt that all 
that they might suffer would be less than they 
deserved ; and they feared that God w^as about to 
take vengeance upon them for their treatment of 
Joseph. 

They began to express their feelings to each 
other. *'We are verily guilty," said they, "con- 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 89 

cerning our brother, in that Ave saw the anguish of 
his soul when he besought us, and we would not 
hear ; therefore is this distress come upon us. And 
Reuben answered them, saying, spake I not unto 
you, saying do not sin against the child, and ye would 
not hear ? Therefore, behold, also, his blood is re- 
quired;" (or God is about to demand of you why 
you exposed him, perhaps, to an untimely death; 
and to inflict upon you, for doing so, the severest 
punishment.) 



CHAPTER XVII. 

Joseph aiFected at what his brethren say of their guilt. — Si- 
meon chosen as the one to stay. — Joseph's brethren set 
out for Canaan with the grain. — Difference between good 
and wicked men. — To which class does the reader be- 
long 1 Let conscience do its work. 

JosEPS heard the conversation W his brethren, 
and understood it all ; though they did not suppose 
so. For he had been speaking to them by an inter- 
preter; who explained what Joseph said in the 
Egyptian language, to them in Hebrew, which was 
the language they spoke ; and then, what they said 



90 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

in Hebrew, to Joseph in Egyptian — as if he did not 
understand the Hebrew language. This he did, 
lest they might suspect who he was, if he spoke to 
them in their own language. 

As soon as Joseph heard the conversation of his 
brethren he was much affected by it, and turned 
aw^ay from them, so that they could not see him, 
and wept. 

What a difference between the tenderness of his 
feelings toward them, and their former hard-heart- 
ed cruelty toward him ! 

He was almost ready to tell them w^ho he was, 
and to relieve them from their trouble. But he 
thought that this, on the whole, was not best. He 
wished still to try their sincerity — to know if they 
really spoke the truth with regard to Benjamin ; 
and to lead them to a deeper repentance for their 
guilt. 

After some further conversation with them, 
through the interpreter, he selected Simeon as the 
one who should remain behind while the rest were 
gone to Canaan, and ordered him to be bound in 
their presence. This he did to let them see that 
Simeon was to be kept in confinement until they 
returned and brought back Benjamin with them. 

Joseph then gave directions (without their under- 
standing what he said) that the sacks which they 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 



91 



brought should all be filled with grain ; and that 
the money which each one had paid for the grain 
should be put in his sack ; and that they should 
have provisions enough to last them during their 
journey. 




They t!ien put the sacks of grain on their asses, 
and set out for Canaan ; while their brother, Sime- 
on, was taken to a place of confinement, to await 
their return. 

You see, in that part of the history to which we 
have just been attending, the striking difference be- 



92 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

tween good and wicked men — between Joseph who 
feared God and endeavored to do his duty, and his 
brothers, who had been full of pride, hatred, revenge 
and cruelty, and who had, probably, as yet, felt no 
true repentance for their sins, nor desire to love 
and obey God. 

Now, to which class of persons do you belong ? 
Do you resemble, in your disposition and conduct, 
the tender-hearted and upright Joseph, or his hard- 
hearted and wicked brethren ? Do you fear and 
love God, and esteem it your greatest happiness to 
obey his commands, and do good to others ; or, are 
you thinking all the time about yourself alone, 
and in what way you can do something, or get 
something, to gratify your own selfish wishes, and 
make yourself haipfy, without caring about the good 
and happiness of others ? 

You know very well to which class of persons 
you ought to belong. Your conscience tells you how 
much better it is for you to be like Joseph than to 
be like his brethren. Well, what do you mean to do, 
if you are not yet at all like Joseph — if you have no 
true love to God and trust in the Savior, and no de- 
sire to imitate his example, in obeying the will of 
God, and in doing good to your fellow-men? Do you 
mean to keep on just as you are ; without repent- 
ance for sin ; without faith in Christ ; without hav- 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 93 

mg God for your friend, and his Son for your Sa- 
vior; without any preparation for death; and with- 
out itny hope of happiness beyond the grave ? 

When the brethren of Joseph were brought into 
trouble, they felt as if the anger of an offended God 
was resting upon them, to punish them for their 
guilt. Conscience, after slumbering more than twen- 
ty years, awoke, and they felt its stings. 

Your past sins may not now alarm you. You7' 
conscience may he asleep. You may not feel your 
guilt and danger. But God can overtake you with 
his judgments, even in this life ; and rouse your 
conscience; and fill you with remorse and dread; 
and make you tremble before him. And in the world 
to come, ah ! there, conscience will do its awful 
work most thoroughly ; and the impenitent sinner, 
who is banished, for ever, from the presence of God 
and the joys of heaven, will find nothing but an- 
guish, in looking back upon what he has been, and 
nothing but despair, in looking forward to what he 
is yet to he. 

Now then, let your conscience do its work. Think 
how much a!?id how often you have sinned against 
God. Go to him with sincere sorrow of heart, con- 
fessing your sins. Beseech him, on account of what 
Christ did and suffered, to pardon your sins. Trust 
in this Savior, as your only Savior and hope. Pray 



94 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

for the Holy Spirit, which he died to procure, and 
which he promised that God would give to all who 
should ask for it in his name. Pray, pray for the 
Holy Spirit, that ii may come doAvn into your soul, 
and abide with you ; that it may guide you into the 
knowledge of the truths of the Bible ; that it may 
lead you to love these truths and obey them; that 
it may keep you penitent for sin, and looking to 
Christ continually, to be saved from the power of 
sin ; that it may make you faithful in serving God 
and doing good to your fellow-men while you live, 
and prepared, when you die, still to love and serve 
God, and to enjoy his favor and that of his Son, in 
a better and happier world. 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 95 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

One of Joseph's brethren finds his money in the sack. — All 
are in great alarm. — A guilty conscience. — Jacob's dis- 
tress at what his sons tell him. — Reuben's foolish and 
wicked speech. — Jacob cannot let Benjamin go. — Judah 
tries to persuade him to this. 

After they had advanced some distance on their 
journey, the brothers of Joseph, as Ave read in the 
Bible, stopped at an inn to refresh themselves, and 
to give food to their asses. 

Inns, at that time, were very different from what 
they now are in our country. They were scarcely 
any thing more than a convenient stopping-place 
for travelers, Avhere there was a well at Avhich they 
could procure water, and a few trees, under the 
shade of which they could repose, and perhaps, in 
some cases, a rough house or shed, in which they 
could sleep during the night. 

As one of their number was opening his sack to 
get some provender for his ass, he saw in it the 
money which he supposed he had paid to Joseph 
for the grain. He was greatly surprised, and im- 
mediately told his brethren of it. They were all 
much alarmed and filled with apprehension lest 



96 HISTORY or JOSEPH. 

even the governor of Egypt himself, or some evil 
disposed person, had done it, that they might be ac- 
cused, on their return, of having stolen it. They re- 
garded it as another proof that God intended to 
bring trouble upon them for their past guilt ; and 
that it was his over-ruling Providence which Avas 
thus so ordering events as to manifest his great dis- 
pleasure toward them. " Their heart failed them, 
and they were afraid, saying one to another, what is 
this that God hath done unto us ?" 

A guilty conscience finds no comfort m consider- 
ing the providence of God. The All-seeing eye, 
a7id the All-ruling hand, are to the sinner a source 
of constant disquietude and alarm. 

We are not told of any thing else which happen- 
ed to the sons of Jacob on their way home. 

On their arrival there, they told their father all 
that befell them in Egypt ; and as they were empty- 
ing their sacks, " behold, every man's bundle of 
money was in his sack ; and w^hen both they and 
their father saw the bundles of money, they were 
afraid. 

" And Jacob, their father, said unto them, me 
have ye bereaved of my children : Joseph is not, 
and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin 
away : all these things are against me." 

To Jacob's eye it seemed, indeed, as if a dark 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 97 

cloud hung over all the prospects of his declining 
years. He had already suffered much, but he 
thought he had still more to suffer. He forgot the 
providence of God, which can bring good out of 
evil ; and lamented, in the bitterness of his soul, 
that all the things which had happened to his sons 
were against him. He did not know that these very 
things were about to restore Joseph to his em- 
braces, and to provide for the comfort of himself 
and family. 

Reuben, seeing his father's great distress, and 
anxious to remove his apprehensions with regard to 
Benjamin's going to Egypt, said to him, " Slay my 
two sons, if I bring not Benjamin to thee: deliver 
him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee 
again." 

This was both a foolish and wicked speech. 
What right had Reuben to give any permission to 
kill his sons ; and what satisfaction would it be to 
Jacob, if he should lose Benjamin, to take the lives 
of two innocent grandchildren in order to punish 
their father ? 

This vehement declaration of Reuben had no ef- 
fect upon Jacob. He could not endure the thought, 
for a moment, of parting with Benjamin. 

"And he said, my son shall not go dovv^i with 
you ; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone : if 

L. J. 9 



98 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, 
then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sor- 
row to the grave." 

The famine still continued very grievous in the 
land of Canaan ; and at length Jacob and his sons, 
and their families, had eaten up the grain which 
they had procured in Egypt. There was no other 
resource but to go there again, and Jacob directed 
his sons to do this. 

They knew, however, that there was only one 
way in which they could hope that the governor of 
Egypt would furnish them with a supply, and that 
was, to take Benjamin along with them. Judah re- 
minded his father of this. ** The man," said he, 
*' did solemnly protest unto us, saying, ye shall not 
see my face except your brother be with you. If 
thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down 
and buy thee food : but if thou wilt not send him, 
we will not go down : for the man said unto us, 
ye shall not see my face, except your brother be 
with you." 

To what a severe trial the venerable patriarch 
was now called ! Himself, his children, and their 
families, were in danger of famishing with hunger. 
If food is not procured, their lives must be sacri- 
ficed. But Benjamin was as dear to him as his own 
life. How can he part with this beloved son ! 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 99 

In the anguish of his soul, he reproached his 
sons with their imprudence. 

" Wherefore," said he, " dealt ye so ill with me, 
as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother ?" 

"How could we help doing it," they replied ; *' he 
made very particular inquiries respecting our si- 
tuation here at home ; he asked if our father was 
yet alive, and whether we had another brother ; and 
we felt ourselves obliged to answer these inquiries 
just as they were put to us. Could we know before- 
hand that he would say, we must bring Benjamin 
dov^^n to Egypt?" 

Still Jacob hesitated. The struggle was not yet 
over in his mind : and his sons saw that they had 
still further to expostulate with him, to persuade 
him, if possible, to give his consent. 

Judah attempted to do this. " Send the lad (so call- 
ed because he was the youngest son) Avith me," said 
he, " and we will arise and go, that we may live 
and not die, both we and thou, and also our little 
ones." 

He then said that he v/ould take the particular 
charge of Benjamin, and be accountable for his 
safe return ; " if I bring him not unto thee, and set 
him before thee, then let me bear the blame for 
ever." 

He observed, too, that they were losing a great 



100 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

deal of time by delaying so ; and that, if they had 
only started in season, they might already have 
been to Egypt, and returned again to their home. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



Jacob consents to let Benjamin go. — Gifts prepared to carry 
to the governor of Egypt. — Jacob's sons set out on their 
journey. — They come before Joseph. — Their great fear. 
— Guilt causes fear. — The steward of Joseph allays their 
fears. 

The entreaties of his children at length prevail- 
ed; but it was almost in a state of despair that 
Jacob consented. 

If it must he so noiv, said he, " if indeed I am 
driven to such a dreadful necessity that I must 
either see you all perish with hunger, or part with 
your brother Benjamin, my youngest and beloved 
child — I will yield. I yield ; go, my sons ; but I 
wish you to do every thing in your power to se- 
cure the favor of the governor of Egypt. He may 
suppose that you stole the money which you found 
in your sacks ; and you must convince him that this 
was not the case. Carry down, as a present to him, 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 101 

some of the choicest things that our country pro- 
duces — some balm and honey, some spices, myrrh, 
nuts and almonds. Take twice as much money as 
you did before ; and carry back, in addition to this, 
all the money which was in the sacks. Perhaps it 
was put in them by some mistake, and no harm 
will grow out of it." 

** Take also your brother, and arise, go again 
unto the man : and God Almighty give you mercy 
before the man, that he may send away your 
other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of 
my children, I am bereaved." -^ 

His sons immediately made the necessary pre- 
parations for their journey, as Jacob had directed ; 
and, Judah taking Benjamin under his particular 
care, they once more set out for Egypt. 

No doubt their farewell was affecting, and pain- 
ful to their aged parent. After charging them all, 
especially Judah, to see that no harm happened to 
Benjamin — he gave them his parting blessing, im- 
ploring for them the guidance and protection of 
Almighty God. Their wives, too, and little ones, 
stood around, to receive their affectionate embrace, 
and to bid them farewell. They still stood, silently 
gazing after them, as the travelers were winding 
their way across the distant hills ; nor did they 
separate and return to their respective tents, until 

L. J. 9* 



102 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

the little band had quite vanished from their sight. 
In the sadness of his heart, we have every reason 
to believe, Jacob went alone, to pour out his feelings 
before God — to commend his sons to the care and 
blessing of him who is mighty to save ; and to 
pray that he himself might be sustained in this 
hour of trial, and be submissive to the will of God. 

Afflicted old man ! God is teaching thee a lesson 
of patience and resignation, that thou mayest learn 
how to leave every thing in his hands. The time is 
not far distant, when the dark clouds which now 
seem to frown upon thee shall be scattered; and 
from behind them a bright and cheerful day shall 
shine upon thy steps, as thou descendest peacefully 
to the tomb. 

The brothers of Joseph at length arrived in 
Egypt, and again came into his presence. 

What must have been his feelings at the sight of 
Benjamin — the son of his own mother Rachel — 
with whom he had passed so many happy hours in 
their boyish days, and whom he had not seen for 
more than twenty years ! 

The sight of this beloved brother brought to 
Joseph's mind the recollection of gone-by scenes of 
the most affecting interest; and it was with dif- 
ficulty that he could restrain his emotions, and pre- 
vent his brethren from discoverino^ them. But he 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH, 103 

was a man of great firmness, as well as of tender 
feeling. He summoned up his firmness, and still 
acted as if he knew not who they were. 

We are not told where this interview between 
Joseph and his brethren took place. We know, 
however, that it was not in his own house. For we 
find, that at the same time he directed his steward 
(the man who provided for his family, and had the 
charge of all his domestic concerns) to take his 
brethren home to his own house, and get every 
thing ready for their dining with him at the usual 
hour, and to make the dinner a plenteous and 
sumptuous one. 

The steward did so ; and as the sons of Jacob 
entered the governor's house, they were afraid, 
fearing that now they were about to be charged 
with stealing the money which they found in their 
sacks, and that all that they had would be taken 
from them, and themselves be made the slaves of 
-he governor. 

• If this had, indeed, happened to them, what a 
Li^t retribution it would have been to almost all of 
:^. j,*n, for their having sold their own brother as a 
slave, and for their deceitful and wicked treatment 
of their father. 

They knew that they deserved such a punish- 
ment : and it is not surprising that they feared it, 



104 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

and trembled lest the righteous judgment of God 
should bring it upon them. 

Remember, my dear children, that nothing makes 
such cowards of men as a guilty conscience. The 
Bible tells us that *' the wicked flee when no man 
pursueth; but the righteous are bold as a lion.'^ 

They came near to the steward, while they were 
yet at the door, and began to excuse themselves to 
him on account of the money which was found in 
their sacks. They told him the circumstances un- 
der which they found it, and that they had brought 
it all back again, to give to the governor. They de- 
clared at the same time, that they could not possibly 
tell who it was that put the money into their sacks, 
or how it got there. 

The steward saw their agitation, and endeavored 
to allay it. He told them not to be afraid, for that 
nothing wrong had been done, and that no harm 
would happen to them. 

It is possible that this steward, being one of the 
family of Joseph, had been taught by him concern- 
ing the true God, and was a pious man. At any 
rate, the language which he used was like that of 
one who feared and obeyed God. 

"Peace be to you," said he, ''fear not: your 
God, and the God of your father, hath given you 
treasure in your sacks. I had your money." 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 105 

As if he had said, " Your money was once paid 
inio my hands for the grain ; and my acknowledg- 
ing that I received it, as the steward of the gover- 
nor, is sufficient to show that you are honest men. 
You need not trouble yourselves to ascertain how it 
found its way into your sacks. Keep it, as a gift 
from my master, the governor ; or rather as a boun- 
ty which the kind providence of God — the God 
whom you profess to worship, and in whom your 
aged father trusts — has bestowed upon you." 



CHAPTER XX. 

Simeon brought out of prison. — The brethren of Joseph pre- 
sent their gifts to him. — Joseph can hardly restrain his 
feelings. — His brethren dine with him. — Remarks on 
temperance, and the duty of promoting it. 

Simeon, who, you recollect, was to be kept in 
confinement till his brethren returned with Benja- 
min, was now set at liberty, and brought by the 
steward to join the rest ; and all entered the house 
of the governor. 

The steward (as was customary at that time, and 
is still among the eastern nations) gave them water 



106 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

with which to wash their feet; and fed also the 
asses which they brought with them. 

In the meanwhile the brethren of Joseph un- 
packed the precious articles which they intended to 
offer him as a gift from themselves and their father, 
and arranged them in order for that purpose. 
They did this, expecting that it would not be long 
before he would return, to dinner, and understand- 
ing that they were to dine there also. 

When Joseph came, they presented him their 
gifts, and bowed themselves down before him quite 
to the ground ; and here was another striking ful* 
fillment of his dream. 

He then, by means of the interpreter, " asked 
them of their welfare* and said, is your father well, 
the old man of whom ye spake ? Is he yet alive ? 
And they answered, thy servant our father is ia 
good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down 
their heads and made obeisance.' ' 

Joseph was now directing his attention more 
particularly to Benjamin, and inquired, as if he 
were still ignorant of the fact, whether that was 
their youngest brother, of whom they had spoken to 
him when they first came down to Egypt. On 
being told that it was ; he said, in a very tender 
and affectionate manner, as a kind parent would, 
God be gracious unto thee, my son. 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 



107 




He had scarcely uttered those words, when his 
feelings quite overcame him; so strong was his 
attachment to Benjamin. He could say nothing 
more. Indeed, he could remain no longer in the 
presence of his brethren, but hurried away as quick 
as possible to his chamber, and there gave vent to 
his feelings in a flood of tears. 

But he soon returned ; having washed his face, 
that it might not be known that he had been weep- 
ing ; and with a good degree of composure gave 
directions to have the food brought in which had 
been prepared for them. 



108 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

He ate alone by himself, as was the custom for 
the king, and the governor, and others who were 
high in office, to do. 

Some of the Egyptians, too, who formed part of 
his family, or who had been invited to the entertain- 
ment, ate by themselves ; and also his brethren 
apart by themselves. 

We are told in the Bible that the reason of this 
separation was, that it was an abomination (a very 
disagreeable, and, in the opinion of the Egyptians, 
wicked thing) for one of their nation to eat with an 
Hebrew. 

Some think that this arose from the fact of the 
Egyptians worshipping certain animals, the ox and 
others, which the Hebrews killed and ate, and also 
offered up in sacrifice. Others suppose that the 
Egyptians held the Hebrews in abhorrence because 
they were shepherds, a class of men who had made 
frequent incursions into Egj^pt, and done great in- 
jury to the inhabitants. Perhaps it is impossible to 
ascertain what the true cause was, as the thing hap- 
pened such a long time ago, and the Bible gives no 
explanation of it. 

When the brothers of Joseph were about to sit 
do\vn to their meal, they were requested to sit in a 
certain order, which they did. After they were 
seated, and began to look round on each other, they 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 109 

were surprised to see that they were seated exactly 
in the order of their ages, beginning with Reuben, 
and so down to Benjamin. This appeared to them, 
indeed, a very strange thing, and they were wholly 
unable to account for it. 

As was usual, there were a great many different 
kinds of food placed before Joseph, which he sent 
round and distributed to the rest. As the sons of 
Jacob looked round again at the quantity of food 
which was thus sent to each, they were surprised 
to see that Benjamin's was five times as much as 
any of their' s. 

They enjoyed the entertainment much, and be- 
came merry, as it is expressed in the Bible, in drink- 
ing with Joseph. We are by no means to suppose 
from this that they drank to excess. The word 
merry, in our translation of the Bible, often means 
joyful or glad, and this is the meaning which we 
should give it in this place. 

If I had time I should like to stop here a little, 
my dear children, and say something to you on the 
subject of temjperance, both in eating and drinking. 
I hope you have already had instruction and advice 
from your parents and friend with regard to it ; and 
that you have thought seriously about it yourselves. 

You have heard of what is doing at the present 
day to promote the cause of temperance both in our 

L. J. 10 



ilO HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

own and in other countries. What are you doing 
in this good work ? You can do a great deal, even 
if you are still quite young, hy your own temperance, 
which will give you good health, and good habits, 
and good resolutions ; and so prepare you to be more 
active in this cause as you grow older. Your ex- 
amphr too, will have a happy effect upon your bro- 
thers, and sisters, and companions. And if you are 
old enough, I hope you have already begun to he 
active in endeavoring to lead others to promote the 
cause of temperance, and to remove the curse of intern- 
ferance from the ivorlcL 

In Joseph's time they did not see the evil of in- 
temperance in drinking, as we do. For they had no 
strong, fiery, intoxicating, and poisonous liquora 
made at distilleries, and sold in shops, to ruin the 
bodies and souls of men. If that had been the case 
when Joseph lived, I have no doubt he would have 
been among the first, both by his example and influ- 
ence, to do all he could to prevent the use of such 
liquors. 

At his day, and indeed in later times, truly good 
and pious men were not brought to see and to feel 
the evils of intemperance so sensibly as to lead them 
to discover the only true remedy, total abstinence 
from all spirituous liquors. Their consciences were 
not enlightened and aroused on the subject ; and, as 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. Ill 

you know, it is only within a few years that they 
have begun to understand and to practise their duty. 
Had Joseph known all that we know on this sub- 
ject, he would have taken care to avoid even the ap- 
'pearance of evil. Do you do the same, and you will 
iind in a course of the strictest temperance, and in 
endeavoring to promote it in others, an amount of 
health and strength ; a clearness and vigor of mind ; 
a cheerfulness and sprig htliness of feeling ; and a 
peace of conscience, v/hich will abundantly reward 
you for what you may consider some self-denial, 
and for all your exertions in doing good in this way 
to your fellow-men. 



CHAPTER XXI. 

Joseph's brethren again set out for home. — His steward 
overtakes them, and charges them with having stolen the 
governor's cup. — What was this cap 1 — The cup found in 
Benjamin's sack. — They all return, and come before Jo- 
serph. — Judah's confession of their guilt. — Why did he 
make it '? 

The brethren of Joseph intended to set out for 
home the next morning. In getting ready the grain 
that they were to carry with them, which was the 



112 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

duty of the steward, Joseph directed him to fill their 
sacks full, as much as they could carry ; and to put 
every man's money which he had paid for the grain 
in his sack's mouth. He also directed the steward to 
take his silver cup (which was considered as be- 
longing to the government, and for his own particu- 
lar use) and to put it in the mouth of Benjamin's 
sack, together with his money. 

All this having been done by the steward, without 
the knowledge of Joseph's brethren, very early the 
next morning, as soon as the day began to dawn^ 
they set out on their journey. 

After they had been gone a short time, and were 
not as yet any great distance from the city, Joseph 
ordered his steward to pursue and overtake them^ 
and to inquire of them why they had done him evil 
for the good which he had done them. After thus 
accosting them, the steward w^as still further direct- 
ed by Joseph to charge them with having taken his 
cup. He was directed to say, " Is not this it m 
which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he 
divineth ? Ye have done evil in so doing." 

Some think that the Egyptians, who were a very 
superstitious people, supposed that certain cups own- 
ed by some few individuals, or perhaps this cup 
alone, owned by the governor, had the power of en- 
abling those who looked into it to see what would 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 113 

happen ; or to find out any thing that had happened, 
and what any person had said or done. This they 
think is what is meant by divining. But others sup- 
pose that the Hehreio word which the persons who 
translated our English Bible have rendered (or put 
into English) to divine, means also, to search tho- 
roughly after any thing. 

They think that the steward w^as ordered by Jo- 
seph to charge his brethren with having stolen the 
cup which he valued very highly, and for which 
(as they might have supposed) he would make very 
diligent and careful search, and be able to divhie, 
or think with certainty w^ho had taken it. 

The latter meaning is that which appears to me 
to be the true one. 

The steward did as he was ordered ; and you may 
easily conceive that the brethren of Joseph were 
greatly astonished at what he said to them. 

They expressed their surprise at it : " Wherefore," 
said they, " saith my lord these w^ords ? God forbid 
that thy servants should do according to this thing ! 
Behold, the money which w^e found in our sacks' 
mouth we brought back again unto thee out of the 
land of Canaan : how then should we steal out of 
thy lord's house silver or gold 1 With whomsoever 
of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we 
also will be my lord's bondmen." 

L. J. 10* 



114 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

The steward said that he would take them at their 
word ; (though he was not so severe as they were 
willing he should be:) " he with whom it is found," 
said he, " shall be my servant, and ye shall be 
blameless." 

They then took down their sacks to the ground 
and opened them, that a search might be made. The 
steward began at the eldest, and when he came at 
last to Benjamin's sack, there to be sure the cup 
was found. 

On this discovery being made, their consternation 
and grief were so great that they could scarcely 
contain themselves ; and they rent their clothes, as 
you have already seen it was customary to do at 
that time, under such circumstances of affliction. 

After putting back their sacks of grain on the 
asses, they returned again with the steward to the 
city. 

On entering the house of the governor, and com- 
ing into his presence, they all fell prostrate before 
him on the ground. 

He inquired of them as they arose, why they had 
carried away his cup, and asked them if they did 
not suppose that such a man as he was had every 
means in his power to make diligent search after it, 
and to divine (or think with certainty) who had 
taken it. 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 115 

To this Judah; in behalf of his brethren, replied; 
" What shall we say unto my lord ? What shall we 
speak ? Or how shall we clear ourselves ? God 
hath found out the iniquity of thy servants : behold, 
we are my lord's servants, both we and he also with 
whom the cup is found.'' 

It would seem that Judah had scarcely any hope 
of being able to prove that they were innocent. He 
might have thought it barely possible that Benja- 
min had stolen the cup. But, as something of the 
same kind had happened to them before, it is more 
probable that he supposed it was all a plan of the 
governor, or of some other person, to bring them in- 
to trouble, and to expose them to a severe punish- 
ment. 

In a sort of despair, therefore, he confessed that 
they were all guilty. He hoped, probably, in this 
way, to save the life of Benjamin, for whom he was 
particularly accountable to his father. And he 
thought also, that by throwing themselves entirely 
upon the mercy of the governor, and humbly con- 
fessing their crime, he might be induced to treat 
them with less severity ; and instead of putting them 
to death immediately, keep them in bondage. By 
this means they might have time, and find out some 
way of proving their innocence. 



116 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 



CHAPTER XXII. 



Joseph still keeps his brethren in suspense. — Remarks on 
his conduct. — His repl}^ to Judah. — Judah's expostu- 
lation. 

Here was another occasion on which Joseph 
had his brethren in his power. He might have ac- 
quitted them of the particular crime of stealing- his 
cup ; but he could have reproached them with the 
deeper guilt of stealing their oicn brother, and sell- 
ing him as a slave. Had they denied this, and as- 
serted, as they had done to their father, that Joseph 
was dead, one word of his could have convicted 
them of falsehood on the spot, and thrown them 
into the greatest confusion and dismay. 

How he could have overwhelmed them with the 
most severe and just rebuke ! How he could have 
taken vengeance on them, and satisfied his re- 
venge to the full, had such a disposition existed in 
his breast ! 

But he felt very differently toward them ; and if 
he still concluded to keep them in suspense, it was 
to prepare the way for their deeper repentance ; it 
was to let them see more clearly how forgiving and 
generous his own character was ; it was to lead 
them to acknowledge and admire the providence of 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 117 

God in the fulfillment of those dreams that had been 
so offensive to them, which had, already, been at- 
tended with so much good to themselves, to their 
venerable father, and to all their families. 

It is difficult for us to judge of all that Joseph 
did in his intercourse with his brethren. We do 
not know all the circumstances of the case. Very 
many of these circumstances are not stated in the 
Bible. That Joseph thought that he had good 
reasons for Avhat he did, and that he really wished 
to do his brethren and his father all the good in his 
power, we must conclude, without any hesitation, 
from what we shall see, as we still farther attend to 
his history. 

If there was any thing w^hich he said or did, ac- 
companied wdth such kind of deception as to make 
it a falsehood ; (or if it amounted to saying that 
something was, which was not — or was not, which 
was ;) then, in this respect he did wrong, and is 
not to be justified. Let us judge him, however, with 
great candor ; remembering what wicked and per- 
verse men he had to deal with, and how fearful he 
was lest their finding out too soon who he was, 
might defeat all his plans for the welfare of his aged 
father, of his beloved Benjamin, and, indeed, of 
themselves, and of the whole family of his kindred, 
at Hebron. 



118 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

We will now see what Joseph's reply was to 
Judah. 

Judah, you recollect, had told Joseph that they 
were all his servants ; or that he could keep them 
all in a state of bondage, as a punishment for their 
guilt. 

" God forbid," said Joseph, " that I should do so : 
bat the man in whose hand the cup is found, he 
shall be my servant ; and as for you, get you up in 
peace unto your father." 

This was truly a severe trial for Judah, who had 
given such strong assurances to his father that no 
harm should happen to Benjamin, and that he 
should be brought back to Hebron in safety. 

What shall he say or do*? To assert the inno- 
cence of his brother was now too late. He had 
confessed their mutual guilt ; as well of Benjamin, 
as of himself, and of the rest. They were all 
strangers in Egypt ; in the entire power of one 
who was second in authority only to the king him- 
self; with no advocate or friend ; and guilty, by 
their own confession, of an aggravated offence. If 
this offence should rest, as it w^as likely to do, on 
Benjamin alone, it Vv'ould make him a slave, never 
more to return to Hebron, and thus brijig down the 
gray hairs of Jacob tvith sorrow to the grave. 

In the midst of such mingled and desponding feel- 



HISTORY or JOSEPH. 119 

ings Judah broke out into this most pathetic expos- 
tulation : " O my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, 
speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine 
anger burn against thy servant : for thou art even 
as Pharaoh ;" (and having pou'er equal to that of the 
king, I exceedingly tremble before thee.) 

*' My lord asked his servants, saying. Have ye a 
father, or a brother ? And we said unto my lord, 
we have a father, an old man, and a child of his old 
age, a little one: and his brother is dead, and he 
alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him. 

'* And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him 
down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him. 
And we said unto my lord, the lad cannot leave his 
father ; for if he should leave his father, his father 
v/ould die. And thou sa^idst unto thy servants, ex- 
cept your youngest brother come dovv^n with you, ye 
shall see my face no more. 

" And it came to pass w^hen vv^e came up unto thy 
servant my father, we told him the words of mj lord. 
And our father said, go again, and buy us a little 
food. And we said, we cannot go down : if our 
youngest brother be Vv^ith us, then will Vs'e go down : 
for we may not see the man's face, except our 
youngest brother be with us. And thy servant my 
father said unto us, ye know that my wife bare me 
two sons : and the one went out from, me, and I 



120 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

said, surely he is torn in pieces ; and I saw him not 
since : and if ye take this also from me, and mis- 
chief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs 
with sorrow to the grave. 

'* Now, therefore, when I come to thy servant 
my father, and the lad be not with us ; seeing that 
his life is bound up in the lad's life, it shall come to 
pass when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that 
he will die : and thy servants shall bring down the 
gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to 
the grave. For thy servant became surety for the 
lad unto my father, saying, if I bring him not un- 
to thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father 
for ever. 

" Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant 
abide, instead of the lad, a bondman to my lord ; 
and let the lad go up with his brethren. For how 
shall I go up to my father and the lad be not with 
me ? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall 
come on my father." 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 121 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



Joseph makes himself Iniowii to his brethren. — His address 
to them. — His forgiveness of them. — Theduty of forgive- 
ness. — Has the reader this spirit ? 

Jx3DAH did not plead in vain. While Joseph 
heard him, the most tender recollections rushed 
upon his mind — his mother, his home, his father ; 
Ephrath, Hebron, Shechem, Dothan — all rose up be- 
fore him, in quick and melancholy remembrance. 

He could not endure the thought of doing any 
thing to cause such anguish to his aged parent, and 
that would bring doicn his gray hairs v:ith sorrow 
to the grave. 

He listened with breathless attention till Judah 
had done speaking. His heart was full. His coun- 
tenance showed it. His voice showed it, while, 
being no longer able to control his feelings, he 
ordered all except his brethren to retire. 

They did so; and Joseph gave vent to his tears. 
He wept aloud. He wept so loud that they heard 
him in the other parts of the house ; and in the 
midst of their astonishment he said to his brethren, 
I am Joseph. Doth my father yet live ? 

His brethren were too much overcome to make 

L.J. 11 



122 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

any reply. They must have been horror-stmck to 
see Joseph standing before them, the governor of 
Egypt! 

'' And Joseph said unto his brethren, come near 
to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he 
said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold in- 
to Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor 
angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither : for 
God did send me before you to preserve life. For 
these two years hath the famine been in the land : 
and yet there are five years, in the which there 
shall neither be earing (planting the seeds) nor 
harvest. 

" And God sent me before you to preserve you a 
posterity in the earth, (the descendants, yet to be very 
numerous, of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,) and to 
save your lives by a great deliverance. 

" So now it was not you that sent me hither, but 
God : and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh ; 
(to advise him, and take a parental care of his con- 
cerns:) and lord of all his house; and a ruler 
throughout all the land of Egypt. 

" Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto 
him, thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me 
lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not. 
And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and 
thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 123 

and thy children's children, and thy flocks and thy 
herds, and all that thou hast. 

" And there will I nourish thee : for yet there are 
five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, 
and all that thou hast, come to poverty. 

"And behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my 
brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh 
unto you. 

" And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in 
Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall 
haste, and bring down my father hither. 

"And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, 
and wept ; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. 
Moreover, he kissed all his brethren, and wept up- 
on them : and after that his brethren talked with 
him." 

What an interesting and affecting scene ! God 
has given it to you, my dear children, in the Bible, 
for your instruction. And you can, indeed, derive 
a great deal of instruction from it. 

Mark the conduct of Joseph in it ; for it deserves 
your imitation. 

There stood his brethren before him, who had 
done him so many injuries ; and they knew, at last, 
that in the mighty governor of Egypt they beheld 
their brother whom they had hated so bitterly, and 
treated so cruelly. How their guilt must have risen 



124 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

up before them in all its enormity ! How mean and 
degraded they must have felt in his presence ! How 
justly they must have thought they deserved his 
severest rebuke ! They probably were expecting it, 
as the least punishment, even if he did not inflict 
any other, Avhich was due to their wickedness ! 

But what amazement must have filled their 
breasts, to see, that instead of all this, their injured 
brother was about to treat them with the greatest 
kindness. He does not reproach them at all. He 
even tries to turn their thoughts from the recollec- 
tion of their own guilt, to the merciful providence of 
God, who had over-ruled it for his good, and for 
that of themselves, and their father, and their whole 
family. 

Perhaps, in this "respect, Joseph may have been 
too lenient. But he knew there would be another, 
and probably a better season, for them to think over 
all that had happened. He wished to show them how 
freely and fully he forgave them. And, if any thing 
could lead them to the deepest repentance for their 
past guilt, it was surely such generous and noble 
conduct on the part of a brother whom they had so 
grossly injured. 

How have you felt toward those who have injur- 
ed you ; and how have you treated them ? No one, 
1 presume, has ever done you an injury any thing 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 125 

like that Avhich the brethren of Joseph inflicted up- 
on him. 

He felt no revenge, no desire io injure those icho 
had injured him. On the contrary, he wished to re- 
turn them all the good in his power, for the evil 
which he had received from them. See, too, the 
kind and affectionate, the noble and generous man- 
ner in which he showed these feelings. There was 
no allusion to their cruel and wicked treatment of 
him ; no exulting because he had them in his pow- 
er: no boasting of his being willing to forgive 
them ; not even a rebuke or a reproach, or a word 
said to make them feel their littleness and their 
meanness. 

Have you felt so, and acted so, toward those who 
have injured you ? Do you not think that the con- 
duct of Joseph is worthy of your highest effort to 
imitate it? 

It is, indeed, so. If you have not felt and acted 
at all as he did, toward those who have injured 
you, then you are like his wicked brethren ; and 
the evil passion of revenge still finds a place ivithiri 
your breasts. 

You have need, then, of sincere repentance before 
God on this account. And this should show you 
the exceeding sinfulness of your heart. For you 

L. J. 11* 



126 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

have not the spirit of Joseph. You have not the 
spirit of Christ. 

Christ forgave his enemies, even those wicked 
and cruel men w^ho nailed him to the cross ! He 
prayed for them in his dying moments, that God 
also w^ould forgive them. And he has told us that 
if we do not forgive our enemies, those who have in- 
jured us in any way whatever, and pray for them, 
and return good for evil, God will not forgive us, 
but banish us, for ever, from his presence. 

Think of all this. And seriously ask yourselves 
the question, if these things are so, whether you 
must not become very different from what you are ; 
whether you must not have your inmost soul renew- 
ed and made holy hy the Spirit of God, before 
you can hope to enjoy his presence and favor in 
heaven ? 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 127 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



Pharaoh and his household glad to see that the brethren of 
Joseph are come. — Pharaoh tells Joseph to invite his 
father and all his family to come to Egypt. — Joseph fur- 
nishes them with things necessary for their removal. — 
His parting advice to them. — Peace-making. 

It was not long before the king of Egypt and all 
his household heard of the strange things which 
had taken place, and that the men who had come 
from Canaan to buy grain were the brethren of 
Joseph ; and that his venerable father was still 
living. 

They were all, both Pharaoh and those who 
were about him, exceedingly pleased to hear it. 
And to show his strong personal friendship for 
Joseph, and the deep interest that he felt in the wel- 
fare of Jacob and the whole family, Pharaoh re- 
quested Joseph to give this very kind invitation to 
his brethren. 

" Say unto thy brethren," said he, '' this do ye ; 
lade your beasts and go, get you unto the land of 
Canaan ; and take your father, and your households, 
and come unto me : and I will give you the good 



128 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the 
land. 

*' Now thou art commanded, this do ye ; take 
you wagons out of the land of Egypt, for your 
little ones, and for your waives, and bring your 
father, and come. Also regard not your stuff;" (the 
furniture, and the various implements and tools that 
you have, and all things of that description.) 

The brethren of Joseph were overjoyed at this 
kindness of Pharaoh, and prepared to follow his 
directions. 

They w^ere furnished with wagons by Joseph, 
as Pharaoh had commanded, and also with abun- 
dance of provisions for the journey. Joseph gave 
them, beside all this, a supply of clothing. 

It was customary for rich men, at that time, to 
present garments to those whom they intended to 
treat with peculiar respect and friendship. They 
usually kept a large wardrobe, or collection of gar- 
ments of different kinds and sizes, so that they could 
make these presents whenever they chose, Avithout 
any delay or difficulty. 

Joseph, in this way, meant to let ail the Egyp- 
tians see with how much respect he wished to treat 
his brethren, and what an affectionate regard he 
had for them. 

He gave each of them changes of raiment, or 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 129 

more than one suit ; but to Benjamin he gave 
three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of 
raiment. 

He sent also, by his brethren, a present to his 
aged parent — ten asses laden with the good things 
of Egypt, and ten others laden with grain and 
bread and nuts, for his father to use on his journey 
from Canaan to Egypt. 

After all the preparations were made, the sons of 
Jacob took leave of their brother, and set out for 
Hebron. 

His parting advice was what they, doubtless, 
needed. See, said he, that ye fall not out by the 
way. 

There was some danger, as Joseph thought, of 
their doing this. They might begin to find fault 
with each other. Some might charge others with 
being the first who had proposed to take revenge 
on Joseph for his offensive dreams. Reuben and 
Judah might endeavor to free themselves from all 
guilt in the matter, and cast the severest reproaches 
upon the rest. 

They might be envious of Benjamin, who had 
been treated with such distinguished regard by 
Joseph, and who had received a present so much 
more valuable than any, or all, of their' s. They 
might not treat him with kindness, and thus pre- 



130 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

pare the way for giving trouble to their father on 
their return home. 

They nriight dispute, not only about what had 
happened, but about their future plans ; how they 
shall remove their property to Egypt, and how each 
should retain and have the management of what 
particularly belonged to him. 

Joseph knew their dispositions, and how much 
they needed a word of caution ; and he thought, 
that, under the peculiar circumstances in w^hich 
they were placed, it w^ould probably be regarded, 
and do them good. 

" Blessed are the peace-makers," said our Savior, 
"for they shall be called the children of God." 

My dear children, in this respect, imitate the ex- 
ample of Joseph. Do, each one of you, be a peace- 
maker. Be at peace among your brothers and sis- 
ters, and among your companions, at all times. Do 
all you can to prevent disputing and quarreling, 
and to lead all to love each other, and to do each 
other good. 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 131 



CHAPTER XXV. 

His sons, on their arrival, tell their father that Joseph is 
alive. — Jacob's joy. — They all set oat for Eg}^t. — They 
stoj) at Beer-sheba. — An interesting spot, and why'? — 
God's promise to Jacob. — Their arrival in Egypt. 

Once more the sons of Jacob were on their way 
to Canaan. What strange news they would have to 
tell to their father and kindred ; and with what 
mingled emotions of joy and shame they would re- 
late the account of Joseph's prosperity, and at the 
same time expose their former cruelty and false- 
hood ! 

At length they came to Hebron; and the deepest 
anxiety was felt on the part of Jacob and his family 
to know the result of their late visit, to see if Si- 
meon was released, and if Benjamin was in safety. 

They soon made it known to their father that 
Joseph was yet alive, and that he was governor 
over all the land of Egypt. 

This was too unexpected, and too astonishing for 
Jacob, at first, to receive as truth. He did not, he 
could not believe what appeared to him like the 
returning of his son from the dead ; and his heart 
fainted within him. 



182 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

But Avhen he heard more particularly all the 
circumstances, and the message which Joseph had 
sent ; and saw the wagons that were to carry him 
and all his family to Egypt, his feelings changed. 
Joy took the place of doubt and despondency, and 
the venerable patriarch exclaimed. It is enough ; 
Joseph my son is yet alive : I will go and see him 
before I die. 

How the strength of a father's love shows itself 
in these (qw, yet affecting words. He thought not 
of the power and rank of Joseph, of his great 
wealth, and the splendor in which he lived. He 
thought merely of the simple fact, that he was yet 
in life ; and that he should again meet the child of 
his beloved Rachel, and the solace of his declining- 
age. 

As soon as a few necessary preparations were 
made, Jacob, and the large family of whom he was 
the head, commenced their journey to Egypt. 

On their way they came to Beer-sheba, a place 
quite in the south-western part of Canaan, and about 
twenty miles from Hebron. 

It was here that Abraham, the grandfather of 
Jacob, had formerly tarried a short time, and plant- 
ed a grove, in the shade of which he might en- 
gage in worship. And it was here that he had 
offered up his prayers to the ever-living God. 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 133 

It was here that the Lord appeared unto Isaac, 
and said, " I am the God of Abraham thy father : 
fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and 
will multiply thy seed, (or giYe thee very nume- 
rous descendants,) for my servant Abraham's sake.'^ 

After this, and to commemorate the event, Isaac 
built an altar there, and offered up his sacrifices and 
prayers to God. 

And it was while residing here, that Jacob, by 
the direction of his mother Rebekah, and in a de- 
ceptive and very wicked way, obtained the blessing 
which Isaac had intended to bestow upon Esau, 

It was from Beer-sheba also that Jacob, at the 
command of his father, went on his long journey to 
Padan-aram, where he married Rachel, and where 
Joseph was born. 

The recollection of all these circumstances must 
have deeply affected the mind of the venerable 
patriarch, as he arrived at this interesting spot. 

No doubt he looked back with shame and con- 
trition at the wicked deception which he had prac- 
tised upon his father, and with devout gratitude to 
God for all his unmerited goodness. 

Since he left Beer-sheba, in how many various 
forms this goodness had visited him ; and now% to 
crown it all, Joseph is still alive, and he is on his 
way to meet him. 

L. J. 12 



134 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

In what more suitable place could Jacob acknow- 
ledge the great kindness of God toward him, and 
pour out his soul before him, in praise and thanks- 
giving! 

He did this ; for we are told that he offered sa- 
crifices unto the God of his father Isaac ; unto that 
God who had promised to bless Isaac, and to give 
him a very numerous offspring, as was already be- 
ginning to be the case in the family of which Jacob 
was the head. 

This promise God was now about to renew to 
Jacob. For " he spoke to him in the visions of the 
night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. 

" And he said. Here am I. And he said, I am 
God, the God of thy father : fear not to go down 
into Egypt ; for I will make of thee a great nation : 
I will go down with thee into Egypt ; and I will 
also surely bring thee up again : and Joseph shall 
put his hand upon thine eyes ;" that is, he shall 
close thine eyes, as thou art about to die. 

This promise of God was afterward abundantly 
fulfilled. The descendants of Jacob became indeed 
a great nation, which returned to Canaan ; and in 
this sense Jacob himself may be said to have been 
brought back again. 

And Joseph, too, was permitted to close the eyes 
of his dying parent ; a mark of affection and respect 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 135 

which Jacob must have anticipated with a tender 
and melancholy pleasure. 

From Beer-sheba they proceeded on their way 
to Egypt ; " and the sons of Jacob carried their 
father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the 
wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 
And they took their cattle, and their goods, which 
they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came 
into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed (or descendants) 
with him," the number of which was sixty-six. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

Joseph meets his father in Goshen. — He presents five of his 
brethren to Pharaoh, who grants them leave to dwell in 
Goshen. — Joseph presents his father to Pharaoh. — What 
Jacob says. — Life short. — What is death'? — Is the reader 
prepared to die 1 

Joseph had sent word to his father that, when 
he and his family came down to Egypt, they 
should dwell in that part of it which was called 
Goshen. It was on the eastern side of Egypt, ex- 
tending toward the Red Sea and the borders of 
Canaan. 



136 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 



Judah was sent by Jacob to inform Joseph of 
his father's approach. 

" And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went 
up to meet his father to Goshen, and presented him- 
self unto him ; and he fell on his neck, and wept on 
his neck a good Avhile." 




What must have been the feelings of each, at this 
moment, to meet once more, after so long a separa- 
tion ! Through how many trials they had passed ! 
What changes had taken place in each ! Time had 
whitened the locks of his father, and age and sor- 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 137 

row had deepened the furrows in his cheeks, and 
bowed down his venerable form. 

When they last parted, Joseph was a youth of 
seventeen, going to inquire after his brethren, in the 
valley of Shechem. He was now arrived to mature 
manhood, a father, and the governor of Egypt. 

Now let me die, said Jacob, si7ice I have seen thy 
face, because thou art yet alive. 

He could say no more. The last fond wish of his 
heart was gratified, and he was ready to depart in 
peace as soon as God should see fit to call him 
hence. 

Joseph then told them that he would go and in- 
form Pharaoh of their arrival, and let him know 
their occupation — that they were shepherds, and 
that they had brought their fiocks and their herds 
with them. He requested them also to say the 
same thing to Pharaoh, when he should make in- 
quiry of them, that he might permit them to settle 
in the land of Goshen. For there they would be in 
a country, as it were, of their own, and separated 
from the Egyptians ; and this Joseph knew would 
contribute greatly to their comfort and prosperity. 
They would not be exposed to the hatred and 
vexation of a people who, you recollect, we have 
before had occasion to observe, held the business of 
a shepherd in great detestation. 

T.. .T. *13 



138 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

After Joseph had given the information to Pha- 
raoh, he took five of his brethren and presented 
them to the king. 

On his inquiring what their occupation was, they 
replied, " Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and 
also our fathers. 

" They said moreover unto Pharaoh, For to 
sojourn in the land are we come : for thy servants 
have no pasture for their flocks, for the famine is 
sore in the land of Canaan : now therefore, we 
pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of 
Goshen." 

The king granted their request, and directed 
Joseph, if there were any of his brethren who were 
fitted, by their activity and skill, for the situation, to 
make them overseers of his cattle. 

Joseph also brought in Jacob his father, and 
presented him to Pharaoh ; a7id Jacob blessed 
Pharaoh. 

On the king's asking Jacob his age, he replied; 
" The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an 
hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the 
days of the years of my life been, and have not at- 
tained unto the days of the years of the life of my 
fathers, in the days of their pilgrimage." 

A pilgrim is a person who has no fixed home, 
and who is on a long journey, tarrying a little 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 139 

while here, and a little while there, and traveling 
on to a distant place which he is very anxious to 
reach. The whole course of his way is called his 
jpilgrimage. 

Well might Jacob call himself a pilgrim, and his 
life a pilgrimage. He had been moving from place 
to place, and through one scene and another ; and 
now, in his old age, had undertaken another jour- 
ney, to find another home. He believed, however, 
that there was still a better home in heaven for all 
the people of God; and thither he directed his 
longing eyes ; for there, he trusted, his wanderings 
and trials would all be over, and that he should 
find eternal rest. 

Many of his ancestors had lived to a much great- 
er age than he could expect to reach ; and although 
he had lived to number one hundred and thirty 
years, how rapid had been their flight, and how 
few they appeared to be in comparison with a never- 
ending eternity ! He might w^ell say that they had 
been evil ; for God had seen fit, in his wise and 
holy providence, to try his servant Jacob with 
trouble and affliction in a great variety of ways. 

Have you ever thought that you, like Jacob, are 
a pilgrim on the earth ? Ah ! you know not how 
many changes and trials may await you ! You may 
have to part with your dear parents and friends, 



140 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

and to leave your pleasant home. You may yet 
have to pass through many scenes of trouble and 
sorrow. And even if you should have less, much 
less, of affliction than Jacob had, and be more as 
he was in his days of comfort and prosperity, re- 
member, your filgrimagt icill soon he ended. 
Death must come at last, and how quickly you 
know not. 

How many, much younger than you are, have 
already ended their pilgrimage. Take a walk in 
some neighboring grave-yard, and examine the 
tomb-stones, and see how many are buried there, 
the days of whose pilgrimage have been much 
fewer than yours. 

But what if you should live to old age. You 
will have then to say as Jacob did, when you look 
hack upon your past life, few have heen the years of 
my pilgrimage ; they have gone like "a vapor, that 
appeareth for a little while, and then vanisheth 
away." 

You will look fomcard, as Jacob did, into an eter- 
nity which is never, never to end. 

O to be prepared to go into that eternity, as 
Jacob was, when, on meeting Joseph, he repeated 
his readiness to die ! 

Are yovb ready to die ? It is a solemn thing to 
die ! The hands cease to move, and the lips to 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 141 

speak ; the eyes to see, and the ears to hear. The 
lungs breathe and the heart beats no longer. The 
whole body becomes stiffs and cold, and motionless, 
and it is soon laid in the silent grave, there to await 
the summons to rise again at the resurrection of the 
dead. 

But this is a small part of death. To the Chris- 
tian it should have no terrors. It should seem to 
him as a gentle sleep, and the grave as a calm and 
quiet resting-place for his frail and worn out body. 
So it has seemed to many who have met it in per- 
fect peace : and to others w^ho have met it with 
joy, O may it seem so to you when you comxe to 
die. 

But the mere dissolution of the body is but a 
small part of death. 

Death separates the soul from the body, and intro- 
duces it into the eternal world. Yes, this is the 
most solemn part of dying. Your soul, all that 
within you which thinks, and feels, and acts, and is 
capable of enjoyment and of suffering, your never- 
dying soul, goes into the eternal w^orld. It goes 
there to he happy or miserable for ever. 

It goes there to spend the long, long ages of end- 
less existence in the enjoyment of the friendship and 
favor of God, and of the Savior ; in the society of 
pure and holy spirits, who ail love God and each 



142 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

Other ; in worshipping and serving the wisest and 
the best of beings; in admiring the countless ways 
in which he shows his wisdom and goodness ; in 
rejoicing to see others good and happy ; and in mak- 
ing, itself, a ceaseless progress in knowledge, in ho- 
liness, and in happiness. 

Or it goes there to lose this ; to be banished for 
ever from this scene of unmingled delight ; to dwell 
m a wretched place, with the vilest and most mise- 
rable beings ; to see and to hear what is most sinful 
and odious ; to feel the horrors of a guilty and re- 
proving conscience ; to bewail the folly of having 
lived and died impenitent, and without faith in 
Christ; to lookback, and find none but painful re- 
collections ; to look around, and see no source of 
comfort or relief; to look forivard with no hope of 
change ; and thus, in gloomy and terrible despair, to 
pass hour after hour, knoAving that all this misery 
must continue and increase, without alleviation, and 
without end. 

Are you prepared to die ? Do you truly love and 
trust in the Lord Jesus Christ ? 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 143 



CHAPTER XXVII. 



Jacob and his family settled in Goshen. — God's goodness to 
them. — His goodness to the reader. — Is thereader grateful 
to God 1 

Jacob again implored the blessing of God upon 
Pharaoh, and then left him. 

Immediately after this, Joseph took the proper 
steps to have his father, and his brethren, and their 
famili^, put in possession of the land which Pha- 
raoh had directed to be given to them as the place 
of their re^^idence. 

We are told that it was the best of the land, a 
choice and favored spot ; and there, after all his 
wanderings and trials, Jacob, in his declining years, 
was happily settled, with his sons and their fami- 
lies around him. Joseph, the truly dutiful child and 
affectionate brother, furnished them with all that 
was necessary, in the continued season of famine, for 
their support and comfort ; while his situation as go- 
vernor of Egypt, and the esteem in which he was 
held by the people, were a sufficient security that 
his father and brethren should receive nothing but 



144 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

kind and respectful treatment from such of the inha- 
bitants as might have intercourse with them. 

While Jacob and his numerous family were en- 
joying, in this manner, the blessings of Providence, 
and were fed from the opening of his bountiful hand, 
how sensibly they must have felt (if they all felt as 
they ought)* the striking interposition of God in 
their behalf. In the midst of a most distressing fa- 
mine, thus to be safely removed to the very country 
in which alone sustenance was to be found, was in 
itself a very wonderful deliverance. In addition to 
this, they were under the protection of the king of 
this country, and supplied with food from his own 
store-houses, without any demand being made upon 
them to pay for it. And then to render this all a 
most striking illustration of the goodness of God to- 
ward them, the protection and bounty of the king 
came to them through the hands of a son and a bro- 
ther. Nor can we stop here ; this very goodness of 
God showed how full he was of long-suffering and 
forbearance toward those whose cruel wickedness 
and falsehood, over-ruled by his providence, had sent 
this son and brother into Egypt, thus to be raised up 
at the very time that they were in extreme need of it^ 
to he their deliverer and friend. 

You doubtless are ready to say that Jacob and 
his family had thus the most abundant causes of 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 145 

gratitude to God, and that they ought to have show- 
ed this gratitude by loving him and obeying his 
commands. 

And what has God done for you ? Have you 
€ver thought of all his goodness, and his long-suffer- 
ing and forbearance toward you ? For he has been 
doing you good, in a countless variety of ways, ever 
since you were born, notwithstanding you have sin- 
ned so much and so often against him. 

He has as truly taken care of you, and supplied 
all yov.r vmnts by the hands of your parents and 
friends, as he did the wants of Jacob and his family 
by the hands of Joseph. 

You have had no famine to distress and alarm 
you. You have not been obliged to leave your 
homes, and to go to another country vci quest of 
food. 

You have lived in a land even more to be desired 
as a place of residence than Goshen. O ! you have 
had tens of thousands, innumerable comforts, and 
mercies, and privileges* And you enjoy them \x\. 
abundance still. 

Are you truly grateful to God for all those bless- 
ings, and to his Son Jesus Christ, who shed his 
blood on the cross that all who believe in him may 
be saved ? Do you show this gratitude by loving 
and obeying God, by imitating the example of the 

L. J. 13 



146 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

Savior, and by doing all you can to make others 
good and happy ? 

These are serious questions. But it is important 
that you should think of them, and answer them. 
How will you answer them? Must you say that 
you know not what it is to feel grateful to God and 
Ills So?i, and to seek to do the will of God, and to 
promote the real good of others, even the good of 
their souls 1 

How ready you are to say that Jacob and his fa- 
mily would have shown themselves to be most wick- 
ed and ungrateful, if they had not felt thankful to 
God for all his mercies, and endeavored to love him 
and obey his com.mands ! How could they be so 
base and unfeeling ! you would exclaim. 

Cast these reproaches upon yourself While you 
think thus of what it seems to you. would be so base 
and unfeeling, had Jacob and his famil}^ had no gra- 
titude toward God ; think of the judgment which 
God and his Son, and all holy beings must pass up- 
on your feelings and conduct : and how base and 
unfeeling, how ungrateful and wicked njoiu must 
apjpear in their sight ? 

What have you to do but to humble yourself be- 
fore God, and to repent of this ingratitude, and of 
all your other sins ? What have you to do but to 
confess all these your sins to God ; and to beseech 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 147 

him, for Christ's sake, to pardon you ; and to shed 
down upon you the Holy Spirit : that with a peni- 
tent and grateful heart you may henceforth loA-e 
him with your whole soul, and seek to do his will 1 
Will you do this, and thus secure the favor of 
God, the friendship of Christ, the influences of the 
Spirit, and be blessed in this life, and be blessed for 
ever ! 



CHAPTER XXVIII, 

The Egyptians give their cattle to Joseph for food.— They 
are again in want, and give themselves and their land. — 
He gives them seed to sow. — A perpetual law, that one 
fifth of all the produce shall be the king's. — Remarks on 
the conduct of Joseph. 

The famine was still very distressing, both in 
Egypt and in the land of Canaan ; and ^ve read in 
the Bible, that the people fainted, or were exceed- 
ingly feeble and disheartened in consequence of it. 

Joseph had continued to sell grain to the inha- 
bitants of Egypt and of Canaan, and to receive their 
money in payment, until they had nearly parted 
with it all. This money he took and deposited in 



148 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

the house of Pharaoh, as it was the property of the 
king-. 

When the money was almost all gone, the Egyp- 
tians came to Joseph in their distress, and said, 
" Give us bread ; for why should we die in thy pre- 
sence ? for the money faileth." 

Joseph had some good reason for not providing 
the Egyptians with grain, without any compensation 
on their part He might have seen that it would 
make many of them idle, and that others would not 
use it in the most prudent and economical way for 
themselves and their cattle. 

He told them that he would take their cattle in 
payment for the grain ; and he might thus have 
found another advantage in this course, that of sav- 
ing the lives of many of these animals, which would 
otherwise have perised with hunger. 

So the Egyptians brought their cattle to Joseph, 
*' and he gave them bread in exchange for horses, 
and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, 
and for the asses ; and he fed them with bread, for 
all their cattle, that year." 

But soon all the cattle were, in this way, exchang- 
ed for the food that the people received from Joseph ; 
and they were once more in great necessity. 

They had still their lands to ofl^er, and they them- 
selves, as servants, or bondmen, to the king. They 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 149 

did this ; and Joseph ga.ve them food, and thus ac- 
quired for Pharaoh, as his own property, all the land 
of Egypt, and the services of the inhabitants to labor 
for his benefit, and in any way that he directed. 

This happened during the last year of the famine ; 
so that the people w^ere expecting, the succeeding 
year, that the earth would begin again to bring forth 
in abundance, if the seed was planted. 

They begged Joseph therefore for seed, at the same 
time that they offered him their land, and them- 
selves, in payment for food ; that they might provide 
for the coming year ; and that there might be a sup- 
ply of grain throughout Egypt. 

Before he complied with this request, however, he 
removed all the inhabitants, from the small towns 
and the country, into the cities. He did this, proba- 
bly, because it would be so much easier to deal out 
their food to them, if they were near the store-houses 
in which the grain was deposited ; and these store- 
houses, you recollect, were all in the cities. 

The priests (or princes, as the original word is 
by some translated) received their supply of food 
from the king without being obliged to give up their 
land, as the other inhabitants did. 

They were probably considered as a higher and 
privileged class of the community. From among 
them the king chose his chief officers, and othe? 

L. J. 13* 



150 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

magistrates, to assist him in the government ; and 
their various duties were such that they were all 
fed, during the famine, at the expense of Pharaoh. 

In due season, before the expiration of the last 
year of the famine, Joseph distributed seed among 
the inhabitants. In doing this he said : " Behold, I 
have bought you this day, and your land, for Pha- 
raoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the 
land. And it shall come to pass, in the increase, 
that ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh, and 
four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, 
and for your food, and for them of your households, 
and for food for your little ones.'^ 

This giving a fifth part of the annual increase 
of the land to the king, continued to be a law in 
Egypt, with regard to all the inhabitants excepting 
the priests, who paid no tax of this kind. 

At the present day, we should not think it right 
for one, in the situation in which Joseph was, to 
oblige those who were nearly perishing with hun- 
ger, to sell their lands and themselves for food ; or 
even to accept of such an offer, if it should be made 
voluntarily on their part. But we know not all the 
circumstances of the case. If we do not justify 
Joseph in what he did, let us consider how differ- 
ent may have been the opinions which prevailed 
among men at that time on this subject ; and that 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 151 

there -was, by no means, the same degree of light 
that there is now with regard to tht rights which 
each man possesses, and with regard to the duties 
which Ave owe to each other. 

Besides, the inhabitants seem, at last, to have 
had the entire use of the land, and to have enjoyed 
the entire fruits of their labor, with the exception of 
a fifth part of the increase, which they paid as a tax 
to the king. 

Whiie these things were going on in the other 
parts of Egypt, Jacob and his family were dwelling 
in Goshen peacefully and safely. Their families 
increased rapidly in numbers ; and during the years 
that succeeded the famine, they added to the extent 
and value of their possessions, and became exceed- 
ingly prosperous and flourishing. 



152 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

Jacob drawing near the close of his life. — Joseph visits him. 
— What is an oath? — Its solemn obligation explained. — 
Jacob requires Joseph to swear that he will bury the 
body of his father in the cave of Machpelah. — Joseph 
takes an oath to do this. 

It was seventeen ^T^ears after Jacob was settled 
with his family in Egypt, and when he was one 
hundred and forty-seven years old, that he found 
himself becoming very feeble, and evidently draw- 
ing near the close of life. 

So he sent for Joseph, that he might see him in 
season, to make a request of him which lay very 
near his heart. 

It was an event which Joseph had thought for 
some time could not be far distant ; yet it was one 
which affected him deeply, and he went, in sadness, 
to visit his father, whose dying counsels he now ex- 
pected to hear. 

Among other things, there was one, as I have 
said, which lay very near the heart of Jacob. He 
had a wish to be buried in Canaan, in the land of 
his father ; and that his body should lie with 
theirs, in their own burying-place. 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 153 

Abraham had bought the cave of Machpelah for 
this purpose. It was there that his remains were 
laid by his sons Isaac and Ishmael. It was there 
that Jacob and his brother Esau had laid the body 
of his father Isaac. It was there that Sarah, and 
Rebekah, and Leah were buried ; and it was there 
that Jacob noAV desired to be laid, after his decease, 
by his own children. 

He was so very anxious to have this desire of his 
heart accomplished, that he would be satisfied with 
nothing short of a solemn oath from Joseph to that 
effect. 

An oath is a peculiar way of stating what we 
believe to be the truth, or of making a promise. It 
is the same thing as if the person who takes the 
oath should say, " I believe that God now sees me, 
and knows all my secret thoughts and feelings. I 
believe that he will be very angry Vv^ith me if I do 
not tell the exact truth ; or if I promise what I do 
not truly intend to perform. I believe that he will 
not only be angry v/ith m^e for doing so, but that he 
will punish me severely. I believe that there is a 
future judgment, at which God will judge all men 
according to what they have done in this world ; 
and I believe that there is a heaven and a hell ; to 
the former of which those who love and obey God 
will be admitted ; and to the latter of which those 



154 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

who disobe}^ him and die impenitent will be sen- 
tenced, to endure the terrible expressions of his 
liatred of sin. 

" Believing this, I give up all my hope in the 
future mercy of God toward me, if I now say or 
do any thing which is 7iot exactly and strictly 
true ; and am willing that God should cast me oft' 
from his presence, and sentence me to the pains 
of hell, for ever." 

This is taking an oath, or, as it is sometimes 
called, SID earing. 

I have given you this account of it, that you may 
always remember what a solemn transaction it is: 
a transaction, not between men merely, but between 
the person who takes the oath, and the great God, 
the siqjreme Judge of heaven and of earth. 

Many persons, when they are called upon to take 
an oath, do it without much reflection, and in a very 
light and careless manner. And I am sorry to sa}^ 
that sometimes those w^ho call upon persons to 
swear, are equally unconcerned. This must all be 
very displeasing to God. I hope and pray, my dear 
children, that if you are ever placed in such cir- 
cumstances, so as either to receive an oath from 
another, or to swear yourselves, you will not forget 
how solemm a transaction it is, and that you will 
act in a ver}^ serious and becoming manner. 



HISTORY or JOSEPH. 155 

Jacob acted in this manner when he required an 
oath from Joseph. They both felt that it was a very- 
solemn thing, and that God was present with them 
in the performance of it. 

The mode of doing it Vv'as very different from 
that which is now practised. At the present day, 
while a person is swearing, or taking aA oath, in 
some places, he holds up his right hand, as a sign 
of his apjjcal to God, w^liich appeal I have already 
described. In other places, as a sign of the same 
thing, he kisses the Bible. 

The sign of this appeal to God, which Jacob re- 
quired of Joseph, was a singular one. There ha,ve 
been many things written by learned men to ex- 
plain it ; but, after all, it is very doubtful whether 
the reason of it is at all known. At any rate, I shall 
not undertake to explain it. 

Said Jacob to Joseph, " If now I have found grace 
in thy sight, (if you truly love me, my son, and are 
W'illing to do me a great favor,) put, I pray thee, thy 
hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly 
vv'ith me ; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt : but 
I will lie w^ith my fathers, and thou shalt carry me 
out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying-place. 
And he said, I w^ill do as thou hast said. And he 
said, swear unto me. 



156 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 



"And Joseph sware unto him. And Israel (or 
Jacob) bowed himself upon the bed's head." 

Some learned men, who are well acquainted with 
the Hebrew language, think that the Hchreiv tvord 
which is translated, in our English Bible, the bed's 
head, or the head of the bed, might better have been 
put into English, thus — the top of the staff. 

So that the meaning would be, that Jacob bowed 
himself down, or worshipped God, leaning, on ac- 
count of his feebleness, on the top of his staff^ to 
support him. 

This is very probably the meaning ; and it 
shows us how solemn a transaction Jacob thought 
it was, in which himself and Joseph had been en- 
gaged, and on which he thus bowed himself before 
God to implore his blessing. 

After this, Joseph returned home ; expecting, 
however, very soon to be called again to the dying 
bed of his venerable parent. 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 157 



CHAPTER XXX. 



Joseph goes to be with his father when he dies. — He takes 
his sons with him. — Jacob considers them as his own chil- 
dren. — He blesses them. — Explanation of this blessing. 

The melancholy tidings at length came to Jo- 
seph, that his father was now very near to the bor- 
ders of the grave. 

Joseph hastened to see him, that he might comfort 
him in his last moments, and pay every attention 
and respect that was due to so good and kind a 
parent. He took with him his two sons, Manasseh 
and Ephraim ; the former about twenty-five years 
of age, the latter a year younger. Their father was 
now about fifty-six years of age. 

Jacob, at this time, was so feeble that he was con- 
fined to his bed ; when he was told, however, that 
Joseph had come to see him, it v\^as such pleasing- 
news, and revived him so much, that he had strength 
enough to sit up on the bed to w^elcome his son, and 
converse with him. 

He wished to tell him things of the greatest im- 
portance before he died. He remembered the pro- 
mises which God had made to Abraham, and Isaac, 

L. J. 14 



158 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

and himself; and desired to have Joseph feel how 
deeply he and his sons were interested in them. 

He spoke of God's appearing to him in the land 
of Canaan, and blessing him ; and of the promise 
made to him at that time, that his descendants should 
become an exceedingly numerous people, to whom 
God would give the land of Canaan for an everlast- 
ing possession. 

He then told Joseph that he considered Manasseh 
and Ephraim as his own children, belonging to his 
family as truly as his own sons did, and entitled, 
together with their descendants, to an equal share in 
all the blessings which had been promised to him 
and to bis posterity. 

His faith in the promises of God was firm. He 
had no doubt of their fulfillment, and that his de- 
scendants would return to the land of his fathers. It 
was this which led him to make Joseph swear that 
his remains should be carried back to Canaan. And 
he wished, by having this done, and by what he was 
noAv saying, to produce in his son, and in all his chil- 
dren, and in their descendants, the strongest attach- 
ment to the country of their ancestors, and the most 
ardent desire to return there, as soon as Providence 
should open the way. 

To Canaan his own attachment was strong, even 
in death. It afforded him a melancholy pleasure to 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 159 

think that it would be the place of his burial. Its 
past scenes filled his soul with the most tender re- 
collections ; and he would make yet another impres- 
sion in favor of his beloved country on the heart of 
Joseph, by recalling to his mind one of these scenes 
which a son could never think of unmoved. 

"And as for me," said the venerable patriarch, 
" when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in 
the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was 
but a little way to come unto Ephrath : and I buried 
her there in the way of Ephrath." 

All nations have loved the spot where the bones 
of their ancestors repose. The graves of our fathers ! 
How many affecting thoughts are called up by these 
words ! Who can think of the place where the re- 
mains of a parent are laid, of a brother or sister, of 
kindred and friends, without the deepest emotion ! 

I cannot but suppose that his father's tender men- 
tion of Rachel, of her death and burial, touched the 
heart of Joseph with sadness, and that he dropped the 
tears of filial gratitude to the memory of a beloved 
mother. 

The advanced age of Jacob had nearly deprived 

him of sight. He saw a little, but very indistinctly. 

" Who are these ?" said he, as he caught a 

glimpse of two 3^oung men who were standing 

near his bed. 



160 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

" They are my sons," said Joseph, " whom God 
hath given me in this place." 

" Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless 
them," was the affectionate request of their grand- 
father. 

On their being brought near to him, he kissed 
them and embraced them, and observed to Joseph 
that he once thought he should never see Aim 
again ; and yet God had not only permitted him to 
do this, but to see his children also. 

Joseph then ^vithdrew his sons from the embraces 
of his father, and hovjed himself icith his face to the 
earth. 

He did this to show Jacob and all around him the 
deep affection and respect which he felt for his ve- 
nerable parent, and how^ entirely he forgot that he 
was the rich and powerful governor of Egypt, w^hen 
he stood, a son, by the bed of a dying father. 

He arose and again brought his sons near their 
grandfather, to receive his blessing. In doing this, 
he wished Jacob, as was custom^ary, to place his 
right hand on the head of the eldest, and his left 
hand on the head of the youngest, while blessing 
them. He therefore took Ephiaimx in his right hand, 
leading him toward Jacob's left hand, and Manasseh 
in his left hand, leading him toward Jacob's right 
hand. 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 16 1 

But what was his surprise to see his father imme- 
diately cross his hands, so as to place his right hand 
on the head of Ephraim, the youngest ; and his left 
hand on the head of Manasseh, the eldest ; and pro- 
ceed to implore the blessing of God upon them. 

*' And he blessed Joseph, (for he blessed the fa- 
ther in blessing his children,) and said, God, before 
Avhom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, 
(whom they loved and obeyed,) the God which fed 
me all my life long unto this day, the angel which 
redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads ; and let 
my name be named on them, and the name of my 
fathers Abraham and Isaac ; and let them grow 
into a multitude in the midst of the earth." 

It would take a longtime to go into an explanation 
of what Jacob probably intended by the w^ord angel. 
Many learned and good men think that it was the 
Son of God himself, who afterward came down to 
live and die in our world, even the Lord Jesus 
Christ, to whom Jacob referred. If so, Jacob might 
well speak of his having redeemed him from all 
evil, and pray that his blessing might rest upon the 
sons of Joseph to redeem them from all evil also. 
For Christ, you know, is the great Redeemer ; who, 
having poured out his blood on the cross, to save 
from sin and from hell all who put their trust in 
him, will bless them, and keep them from evil, and 
L. J. 14* 



1G2 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

bring them, at last, to be with him, for ever, in the 
kingdom of heaven. 

In praying that his name and the name of Abra- 
ham and Isaac might he named on Ephraim and 
Manasseh, Jacob intended to pray that they might 
be, indeed, placed by God in the great family to 
which he and his father and grandfather belonged, 
and thus have a share in the blessings that had 
been promised to Abraham, and Isaac, and himself, 
and their offspring. Jacob's prayer, that the descend- 
ants of Ephraim and Manasseh might grow into a 
multitude, was, at a subsequent period, strikingly 
answered. For in the time of Moses, less than two 
hundred and forty years afterward, the number of 
those, among their descendants, who w^ere twenty 
years of age and upward, and able to go to war, 
amounted to eighty-five thousand two hundred,, a 
2fr eater number than were found amonof the de- 
scendants of any other of the sons of Jacob. 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 163 



CHAPTER XXXI. 



Conclusion of Jacob's blessing on the sons of Joseph. — Jo- 
seph's portion. — Jacob's prophecy, and blessing his sons. 
His death. — Does the reader wish to die as Jacob did ? 

"When Joseph saw that his father laid his right 
hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him : 
and he held up his father's hand to remove it from 
Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head. And Jo- 
seph said unto his father, Not so, my father : for this 
is the first born; put thy right hand upon his head. 
And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, 
I know it ; he also shall become a people, and he 
also shall be great ; (that is, the descendants of 
Manasseh shall become very numerous and power- 
ful.) 

*' But truly his younger brother shall be greater 
than he; and his seed (or descendants) shall be- 
come a multitude of nations." 

In concluding his blessing on the sons of Joseph, 
Jacob said, " In thee shall Israel (or my descend- 
ants, the Israelites) bless, saying, God make thee as 
Ephraim, and as Manasseh. And he set Ephraim 
before Manasseh." 

By this Jacob meant that Ephraim and his de- 



164 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

scendants (all of whom, as one people, or tribe, were 
called Ephraim) would become very powerful and 
prosperous, and that this would be true also of Ma- 
nasseh and his descendants ; and that the people of 
Israel, seeing this, when they wished to pray for 
blessings on any one, would pray that God would 
make him as prosperous as those who belonged to 
the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. 

While pronouncing this blessing on his two 
grandchildren, and in what he soon after said to 
his own sons before his death, Jacob was undoubt- 
edly under a peculiar influence of the Spirit of God. 
By this he was enabled to look forward and pre- 
dict many things which would happen to his de- 
scendants ; and his predictions were afterward ful- 
filled in a very remarkable manner. 

He spoke now of his approaching dissolution. 
*' Behold, I die ; but God shall be with you, (ad- 
dressing Joseph,) and bring you again unto the 
land of your fathers ;" that is, God will bring your 
descendants, and the descendants of my other sons 
— the whole nation of the Israelites — out of Egypt, 
and carry you back, as a people, to Canaan. 

" Moreover, I have given to thee one portion 
above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of 
the Amorite with my sword and my bow." 

It is supposed that the portion of land which Ja- 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 165 

cob thus bequeathed to Joseph and his descendants, 
was in the town of Shechem, and the same which 
he bought of the sons of Hamor. It is probable that 
the Amorites took it from him by force, and that he 
afterward recovered it by fighting for it. Here it 
was that the remains of Joseph were finally k^id; 
and this is the place mentioned in the fourth chap- 
ter of St. John's Gospel, where our Savior is spoken 
of as coming to " Sychar, near to the parcel of 
ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph." 

The aged patriarch had one more solemn and af- 
fecting duty to perform. It was to give to all his sons 
a prophetic view of what their descendants would 
be, in their respective families or tribes, when they 
should be in possession of the land of Canaan. 

" Gather yourselves together," said he, " that I 
may tell you that which shall befall you in the last 
days. Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons 
of Jacob ; and hearken unto Israel your father." 

There they all stood round the dying bed of their 
beloved parent, twelve in number, not one was miss- 
inof. What a scene for him to witness, after all the 
trials and changes through which both he and they 
had passed ! What affecting counsels, and wonder- 
ful predictions for them to hear from, the lips of one 
who, about to enter the unseen world, had the vi- 
rions of futurity spread out before him ! 



166 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

It would occupy too much time to go through the 
particulars of this prophecy of Jacob. You can read 
it at your leisure ; or rather, you can study it with 
the aid of your parents and teachers, and of such 
books as they may provide. For there are many 
things in it that are difficult to be understood ; 
though, at such time as your age and capacity may 
render proper, you will find in it a great deal to 
lead you to admire the wonderful Providence of 
God, and to see the truth of the Scriptures, in the 
fulfillment, years after it was given, of this wonder- 
ful prophecy. 

After uttering it, and blessing each one of his 
sons, Jacob charged them, in the most solemn man- 
ner, to bury him with his fathers in the field of 
Machpelah, near Hebron. Till this time he had 
been sitting up on his bed, deriving a momentary 
strength from the visit of his beloved Joseph, and 
from the subjects of deep interest which occupied his 
mind. The spirit of prophecy too, that was shed 
down upon him, lighted up the faculties of his soul 
with even more than their usual brightness ; and 
those around him could hardly believe that what 
they heard came from the lips of one drawing so 
near to the very close of life. 

But he had now discharged his last solemn du- 
ties. He had given his sons his parting blessing. 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 167 

Exhausted by the efforts which he had made, he 
found himself sinking away, and about to die. He 
sought to place himself in a composed posture ; and 
gathering up his feet into the bed, and reclining on 
it, he peacefully breathed his last, and resigned his 
soul into the hands of his Maker. 

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of 
his saints. 

Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my 
last end be like his. 

Do you wish thus to die? Trust in God, as Ja- 
cob did. Trust in Christ, who is so fully revealed 
to you as the only Savior. Love him. Obey him. 
Imitate him. Devote yourself to his service, in the 
delightful employment of doing good to others. Feel 
that you are a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, 
as Jacob did. Love not the world. Fix your hopes 
on heaven. Live, as Jacob did, by faith. Desire, 
when all your Avork i's done, to go to the land of 
promise in the skies — to the Canaan of eternal rest. 

Then you may hope to die, as Jacob did, w^ith- 
out fear or terror, calmly and sweetly ; ready to 
leave this world of cares and trials, and to go and 
be for ever with the Lord. 



168 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 



CHAPTER XXXII. 



Joseph's grief at liis father's death.— He orders the body to 
be embalmed. — Mourning for Jacob. — His fmieral. — He 
is buried in the cave of Machpelah.— The fear of Joseph's 
brethren lest he should punish them.— Pains of a guilty- 
conscience. 

Joseph was greatly overcome by the death of 
Jacob. He fell w]Jon his father' s face, and wept upon 
him, and kissed him. How strong must have been 
his attachment to this beloved parent ; how deep his 
sorrow at parting with him ! 

He had just closed his eyes while dying, and now 
wished to show him every mark of respect, and to 
bury him in such a manner, that both his brethren 
and the Egyptians might see how much he loved 
and venerated his character. 

As w^as customary at that time, Joseph command- 
ed his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father. 
This was a curious process, by which the dead body 
was secured against putrefaction, and its general ap- 
pearance and features preserved in such a way 
that it would remain for a long, long course of 
years. 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 169 

They were employed forty days in completing 
this process, which, with the previous thirty, occu- 
pied in the preparatory steps, made, in the v/hole, a 
period of seventy da3''s, or ten weeks. 

This was to Joseph, and the family of Jacob, a 
season of mourning, in which, we are told, the 
Egyptians miited with them; thus showing how 
greatly Joseph was esteemed by Pharaoh and his 
people, and how they sought to manifest their 
esteem by this expression of sorrow for the death 
of his venerable father. 

At the end of these seventy days Joseph obtained 
permission of Pharaoh to go to Canaan to bury 
Jacob, as he had promised him, with an oath, that 
he would do. 

It was a great funeral. Joseph, and all the sons 
of Jacob, with their families, excepting the young 
children, attended it. In addition to this, there went 
up all the officers of government, (the servants of 
Pharaoh, as they are called,) and the elders of his 
house, and the elders of the land of JBgypt, persons 
high in authority and rank. " There went up with 
him both chariots and horsemen : and it was a very 
great company." 

The distance which this numerous and solemn 
procession had to go was some hundreds of miles ; 
and as they advanced into Canaan, and came to a 

L. J. 15 



170 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

place called Atad, they expressed their sorrow, as 
was customary at that time, with a great and very 
sore lamentation. And they continued their mourn- 
ing- in this way for seven days. 

The Canaanites, who lived in the neighborhood, 
and who witnessed this striking scene, said, this is 
a grievous mourning to the Egyptians; and they 
afterward called the place Abel-mizraim, which 
means, the place of the Egyptians. 

From this place the procession moved on till it 
came to Hebron ; and there, in the cave of Machpe- 
lah, by the side of Abraham and Isaac, of Sarah, 
Rebekah, and Leah, the remains of Jacob were laid, 
(as he had solemnly enjoined it upon them to do,) 
by his own children. 

This last sad office of respect being performed to 
the memory of their deceased parent, Joseph and his 
brethren, with those who accompanied them, re- 
turned to Egypt. 

Now that their father was gone, the brethren of 
Joseph began to fear that he would no longer have 
any inducement to treat them with kindness. They 
did not understand his true character : that he was 
a man who feared God, and had a benevolent and 
forgiving spirit. They supposed that he still remem- 
bered their former cruel and wicked treatment of 
him with feelings of indignation. They thought 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 171 

that he had restrained these feelings, and kept 
them concealed, and conducted toward them as 
he had done, merely out of respect to their father, 
and because he did not wish to imbitter his de- 
clining days with the sight of contention among 
his children. 

Now this restraint upon Joseph's feelings no 
longer existed. Their protector was gone. There 
was no one to interpose between them and their 
offended brother, and they trembled at the expecta- 
tion of his vengeance. 

You see in this, my dear children, one more 
striking evidence of the wretchedness that sin 
produces. 

Joseph's brethren had still a distinct and vivid 
recollection of their former guilt. Hov^r often, as 
they saw him from time to time, had the scenes 
^vhich took place at Dothan rose up before them, 
and filled them ^vith self-reproach and alarm ! 

They saw him clad in the splendid robes of his 
office ; but they thought only of his beautiful coat 
which they had dipped in blood, and with which 
they had practised such a cruel deception on their 
distressed father. 

They saw him seated in power and dignity, or 
riding in his splendid chariot ; but their imagina- 
tion dxev/ a more striking picture of the pit in 



172 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

which they cast him, and of the Ishmaelites, to 
Avhom they sold him as a slave. 

So it is that past sins will rise up before the 
mind, and rouse conscience to inflict its severest 
tortures upon the guilty breast 

And conscience will make the sinner feel how 
justly -he deserves to he ^punished. 

This it was that made the brethren of Joseph so 
apprehensive that he would inflict the severest pu- 
nishment upon them. They knevv^ that they deserv- 
ed it, and that, if all that they had done to their bro- 
ther were known, the Egyptians, and every one else, 
would think that they ought not to be permitted to 
escape from justice. 



CHAPTER XXXIII. 

The brethren of Joseph implore his forgiveness. — He is very 
kind to them, and allays all their fears. — Their obligations 
of gratitude to him, and to God. — Has the reader done 
wrong to others ] How does he feel about it ? 

In order, if possible, to avert the anger of Joseph, 
his brethren resolved to make a strong appeal to his 
feelings. They knew the great love which he had 



i: 



HISTORY or JOSEPH, 173 

always shown toward his "father, and the afTection- 
ate respect with which he cherished his memory. 

They sent, therefore, a messenger to Joseph ; fear- 
ing to go themselves, lest it should be more likely to 
rouse the displeasure of their brother against them. 
Perhaps, too, the person Avhom tney requested to go 
in their behalf, had influence with Joseph, on ac- 
count of the worth and respectability of his charac- 
ter, and would be able to procure the entire forgive- 
ness of their evil conduct. 

But they relied principally on the nature of the 
message. For they instructed the person whom they 
sent, to say to Joseph : " Thy father did command, be- 
fore he died, saying, so shall ye say unto Joseph, 
Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy breth- 
ren, and their sin ; for they did unto thee evil. 

" And now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of 
the servants of the God of thy father." 

It was an appeal to the tender feelings of a son ; 
of a son who had ever most dutifully obeyed the 
commands, and complied with requests of a father, 
to whom his attachment had been devoted and 
constant ! 

It was an appeal to the piety of a friend of God, 
of the God of his ancestors, of the God of his father, 
of the God in whom his brethren professed to trust, 
and whose servants they claimed to be. 

L J. ' 15* 



174 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

As children of the same father ; as worshippers of 
the same God ; as partakers with him of the bless- 
ings of the promises Avhich had been made to Abra- 
ham, Isaac, and Jacob ; they besought him to forgive 
them. 

Joseph had too many kind and generous feelings ; 
he was too much above what was mean or revenge- 
ful : he felt too strongly his obligations to God for 
all his goodness ; he cherished too deeply the spirit 
of benevolence toward his fellow-men ; and he was 
too sensible of his own imperfections and sins, to re- 
sist this appeal. 

It awakened all the better emotions of his heart. 
It revived the most grateful recollections of his fa- 
ther. It enkindled his warmest piet}^ toward God. 
He was overcome by it, and melted into tears. 

It is probable that he very soon sent for his 
brethren. For we are told they went to see him, 
and bowed themselves down, as they had formerly 
done, in his presence. 

And they said, Behold, we he thy servants. 

And Joseph said unto them, Fear not : for am I 
in the place of God ? as if he had said, " I am but 
a man like yourselves. Why do you thus stand in 
awe of me and my displeasure ? It is God who is the 
judge of your conduct. It is to him that you are ac- 
countable for what you have done. It is against him 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 175 

chat you have smned. Humble yourselves before 
his presence. With deep repentance implore his for- 
giveness. So far as I am concerned, let all your ap- 
prehensions cease." 

*' Ye thought evil against me ; but God meant it 
unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save 
much people alive. Now, therefore, fear ye not : I 
will nourish you and your little ones. And he com- 
forted them, and spake kindly unto them." 

What a relief this must have been to their minds ! 
What an impression it must have made on their 
hearts, if they had any such feelings as they ought 
to have had ! 

Under such affecting circumstances, how they 
were called upon to exercise gratitude toward their 
brother, for his generous and kind conduct; and a 
still livelier gratitude toward God, for his great for- 
bearance and long suffering. For it was the gra- 
cious course of his providence which had over-ruled 
their wicked designs, and brought out of them so 
much good to Joseph, the object of their hatred, to 
their father, and even to themselves and families. 

My dear children, have you ever been placed in 
similar circumstances ? Have you ever done wrong 
toward some one ; and afterward had great re- 
proach of conscience ; and feared lest God would, in 
some way or other, punish you for your guilt ? 



176 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

And has it happened that you have been obliged 
to acknowledge your guilt ; and that the person 
whom you offended has freely forgiven you ; and 
that, thus far, you have not met with the punish- 
ment which, you know, your evil conduct de- 
serves ? 

It is very probable that all this has happened to 
some of you ; and how have you felt under such cir- 
cumstances ? 

Have you felt humbled before God for the sin com- 
mitted against him ? For, in doing wrong to any of 
your fellow-men, you break the commands, and des- 
pise the authority of God. He forbids you to do 
wrong. He requires of you always to do right. He 
enjoins it upon you to love your neighbor as you do 
yourself, as well as to love Him with your whole 
soul, and strength, and mind. 

Have you felt truly sorry for the wrong done to the 
individual^ and asked his forgiveness, from the heart, 
intending to feel and conduct toward him as you 
ought to do ? 

Have you felt thankful to God that you were spar- 
ed the punishment which you so justly deserved ; and 
to the individual, for having assured you of his for- 
giveness and future friendship ? 

Have you resolved, that with the grace of God, 
through Jesus Christ assisting you, you will do no 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 177 

such evil thing again, and that you will strive 
against all sin ? 

If you will stop a little, and think seriously, and 
ask yourself the above questions, you will learn 
something about the real state of your heart. 

You will be in the way of finding out (while you 
know very well how the brethren of Joseph oug?iL 
to have felt) whether you have felt as you ought to 
have done. 

Let your conscience speak. If your heart con- 
demns you, remember that "God is greater than 
your heart, and knoweth all things." 

" He that covereth his sins shall not prosper : but 
whoso confesseth and forsaketh them, shall have 
mercy." 



178 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 

Joseph near to death. — He makes his brethren swear that his 
body shall be buried in. Canaan ; whither, he assures them, 
the Israelites .shall go. — He dies, and his body is embalm- 
ed. — Why did he direct his body to be kept in Egypt till 
the Israelites should go to Canaan'?— Wonderful Provi- 
dence of God. 

The brethren of Joseph returned to their families 
in Goshen, where they continued to reside. They 
increased greatly in numbers, and were prosperous 
in their business, under the protection of the king of 
Egypt, and the fostering care of their kind brother. 

Joseph in the meanwhile^ as we have every re??- 
son to suppose, continued to enjoy the favor of Pha- 
raoh, and of the kings who succeeded him, and to 
hold his office as governor of Egypt, ruling the 
people mildly and justly, and esteemed by the whole 
nation. 

He lived to see the children of Ephraim and Ma- 
nasseh, in whose education he took a lively interest^. 
and whom he treated with great affection. 

At length the advances of age reminded him that 
the time of his departure was not far distant. His 
feebleness increased. He gathered his brethren 
around him, and told them that he was about to die. 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 179 

He spoke to them of the promises of God to their fa- 
thers, to themselves, -and to their descendants. 

" God will surely visit you," said he, " and bring 
you out of this land unto the land which he sware 
to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob." 

He knew how important it was for the Israelites, 
thus to keep their return to Canaan distinctly in 
view, as the great object of their hopes. 

For otherwise they would consider Egypt as their 
permanent home, and be in danger of mingling with 
the inhabitants, of falling into their idolatrous prac- 
tices, and of forgetting the Avorship of the true God. 

Joseph took an oath, also, of his brethren, (as his 
father Jacob had done of him,) that they would carry 
his body up with them, whenever they should return 
to the land of Canaan. 

We are not told what other directions or counsel 
he gave them in his last moments. He soon could 
speak no longer ; and he died in the one hundred 
and tenth year of his age. 

His body was embalmed, and kept in a coffin in 
Egypt until the Israelites left that country. It was 
then carried with them into Canaan, and buried in 
Shechem, in the parcel of ground which Jacob bought 
of the sons of Hamor ; and which he gave as an 
inheritance to the children of Joseph. 

It is not improbable that Joseph had a particular 



180 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

design in thus directing that his body should be 
kept in Egypt until the return of the Israelites to 
the land of their fathers. His remains would be 
held by them in great reverence. The place in 
which they were deposited would often be visited 
by them, and by their children, and their children's 
children. For it was nearly one hundred and hfty 
years after the death of Joseph, before the descend- 
ants of Jacob were led out of Egypt by Moses, and 
went to Canaan. 

The spot Vv^ould be dear to them; a sacred spot; 
one that would keep alive their grateful recollec- 
tions, both of Joseph and of his venerable father. 
It would constantly remind them of their being but 
strangers in Egypt ; of the promises of God to 
give them a better country ; and of their solemn 
duty (as soon as Providence should open the way) 
to carry back with them the body of Joseph. They 
would recollect, too, the affecting circumstances un- 
der which Joseph had enjoined the performance of 
this duty upon his brethren. It was in his dying 
moments ; and they had bound themselves, in the 
presence of the Almighty, and under the solemni- 
ties of an oath, to see that his directions were faith- 
fully obeyed. 

Though dead, he v/ould yet speak to them : and 
from year to year the monitory voice would be 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 181 

heard : God vnll surely visit you, and bring you 
out of this land unto the land ivhich he sware to 
Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. God tvill surely 
visit you, aiid ye shall carry up my boyies from hence. 

How wonderful are the ways in which the pro- 
vidence of God brings about his wise and holy pur- 
poses ! He employed Joseph, daring his life, to de- 
liver from famine that peculiar people, who were to 
preserve the knowledge and the worship of the true 
God j and fiom whom, in after ages, was to come 
forth a mightier deliverer, Jesus, the Savior of the 
world. 

He employed Joseph, at his death, as one of the 
means of strengthening the faith of the Israelites in 
the promise made to their fathers ; and of keeping 
alive among them the desire of returning to that 
land where they were still to be a peculiar people ; 
to that land where Christ v^as to be born, and 
suffer, and die ; to that land from which the glad 
news of salvation was to be proclaimed to all the 
inhabitants of the earth. 

The singular dreams which Joseph had when he 
was quite a youth, and which were produced by the 
influence of God upon his mind, prepared him in 
some measure for the wonderful dealings of Provi- 
dence with him. He felt that he was to have an im- 
portant part to act, though he could not tell what it 

L. J. 16 



182 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

would be. This served, no doubt, to elevate his 
views, and to fit him for the high station in whiuh 
he was to be placed. 

The fulfillment of his dreams, too, must have ad- 
ded great strength to his faith in God. At one time 
he saw his brethren bowing down before him in 
acknowledgment of his superiority and of their 
dependence. At another, he received such gifts 
from his father as showed that Jacob and his family 
intended to treat him with the respect due to his 
high rank and power. In presenting these gifts, his 
brethren again bowed down before him : and in re- 
ply to his inquiry concerning their father, they 
spoke of Jacob as the servant of Josejfth, and bowed 
down before him, as if by this name and act of 
obeisance to show the reverence which the whole 
family had for the governor of Egypt. 

At length he saw his father, and his brethren, 
and their families, settled in the kingdom over 
which he was exercising the authority of a ruler. 
They were, in fact, the subjects of his government; 
nourished by his bounty, and protected by his 
power. 

The sheaves of his brethren had, indeed, lowed 
down before his sheaf; and the sun, moon, and 
eleven stars had made obeisance to him. 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 183 



CHAPTER XXXV. 

The character of Joseph. — His strong faith in God. — This 
the foundation of all real excellence of character. — Has 
the reader this faith in God 1 

God, as we have seen, had a great work for 
Joseph to do ; and when it was accomplished, he 
took this faithful servant to himself. 

He is now^ we have ever}' reason to believe, with 
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the redeemed 
of the Lord ; and while his bones are reposing in the 
land that was promised to his fathers, his spirit is 
enjoying the bliss and the glory of that better land 
of promise, the Canaan of eternal rest. 

It is to that heavenly inheritance, my dear chil- 
dren, that it has been my great object to direct your 
attention and excite your hopes, while I have been 
writing this history of Joseph. And before I con- 
clude, I would lead you, under the blessing of God, 
to think yet more of the necessity of being prepar- 
ed, when your work on earth is done, to enter into 
the rest of heaven, and be for ever with the Lord, 

The remains of Joseph, while in Egypt, kindled 
up the desires of his kindred to go to the land of 
their fathers. 

May the memory of his character, embalmed iri 



184 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

your hearts, awaken within you a still stronger de- 
sire to go where he noio is — to that heavenly country, 
of which Canaan w^as hut a very faint and imperfect 
resemblance. 

Let us for a little while attend to some of the 
more striking traits of his character. And as we go 
along, consider how w^orthy they are of your imita- 
tion, and whether you do in any degree possess 
them. 

Joseph had a strong faith in God. He did not see 
God with his bodily eyes, but he believed in his ex- 
istence, and that he was a Being of infinite power^ 
wisdom, justice, goodness, and truth. 

He believed that God had made communications, 
at various times to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob ; 
and that what his father taught him of these com- 
munications was true. He believed that the promises 
which God had made to his ancestors, and to him- 
self, and their descendants, would all be exactly ful- 
filled. 

He believed that he w^as accountable to God for 
all his thoughts, and feelings, and conduct ; and that, 
in the future world, God will receive to heaven 
those only who love and obey him, and banish, for 
ever, the wicked from his presence. 

It is not impossible that he had some knowledge 
of Christ, and looked forward to this coming Savior, 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 185 

as his Savior and hope. For Abraham saw the day 
of Jesus Christ, and was glad; and it cannot be 
doubted that he communicated this knowledge to 
his children, and they to theirs ; and that thus Jacob 
and his family were in possession of it. 

In the eleventh chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the 
Hebrews, you will find that Joseph is numbered 
among those w^ho were distinguished for their faith 
in God, and in his promises. 

" By faith,''^ it is said, " Joseph, when he died, 
made mention of the departing of the children of 
Israel ; and gave commandment concerning his 
honest 

He did this only because he had an unshaken 
confidence in the promise of God, that the Israelites 
should return to Canaan, and enjoy that delightful 
country as their own. 

But if he had such a confidence in that promise 
of God to the Israelites, as to feel sure of its fulfill- 
ment, and to act accordingly ; he had the same con- 
fidence in all the promises and declarations of God, 
and acted as if he believed that they also ..^ould 
receive their complete fulfillment. 

This living and active faith w^as the foundation 
of all that w^as excellent in his character, of all his 
thoughts, and feelings, and conduct, which were 
right, and in accordance with the will of God. 

L. J. 16* 



186 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

Just as the strong and heavy stones, which are 
laid deep in the ground, and put firmly together, 
and on which the whole house is built and rests, — 
form the foundation of the house. 

The builders know this very well, and that, if 
they design to have the house stand, they must lay 
a strong and solid foundation. 

Faith in God is the foundation of all real excel- 
lence of character. Without it, there may be an ap- 
pearance of goodness, an outward propriety of con- 
duct, but no right feelings in the heart. 

Unless a child believes that his father is a good 
and just parent, that he governs his family well, and 
wishes to do all to make them good and happy, and 
that his commands are right ; unless he believes 
that the threatenings of this parent Avill be executed, 
and his promises fulfilled; unless he thus has/<xi^/i 
in the parent, he will have no true love and obedi- 
ence to him. He may do things outwardly that look 
like love and obedience, but there will be no cor res- 
ponding feelings in his heart. He will have no right 
to the character of a dutiful and affectionate child. 

In the same way, unless, like Joseph, you have a 
strong and active faith in God, your Heavenly Fa- 
ther, you can have no true love and obedience to 
him ; you can have no right thoughts, and feelings, 
and conduct ; you can have no true excellence of 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH, 187 

character ; 3?'0u cannot be prepared to go to heaven 
when you die. 

Have you this faith in God ? Do you believe all 
that he has taught you in the Bible, all his com- 
mands, and promises, and threatenings ? 

If Joseph had believed only the one promise of 
God, that the Israelites should return to Canaan, 
this would have been wholly insufficient to lead him 
to do as v/e have seen that he did, and to become a 
truly good man, and to be prepared to go to the 
heavenly Canaan. 

If you believe all that God has taught you in the 
Bible, then you believe that unless you truly repent 
of your sins, and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, 
and show your faith to be sincere, by obeying the 
commands of God, you cannot he saved. 

Do you indeed believe these truths ; do you 
feel them; do you practise them ? 



188 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 



CHAPTER XXXVI. 

ejoseph's affection and dutifulness to his father. — These 
traits of character, if real and permanent, must grow out 
of faith in God. — How does the reader treat his parents ? 
— Joseph was kind and affectionate to his brethren. — 
Faith in God and Christ produces love to others. — Has 
the reader this love ? 

One consequence of Joseph's faith in God, was 
his striking affection and dutifulness to his venera- 
hie parent ; and this was another conspicuous trait 
m his character. 

I know that some children, who have a pleasant 
and amiable disposition, and yet have no such faith 
in God as Joseph had, show a good deal of affection 
and dutifulness toward their parents. 

But do they do this at all times ? Do they do it 
where the parents are the friends of God, as Jacob 
was, and instruct their children what his commands 
are, and require them to obey these commands ? 

Ah ! this makes a great difference. There are 
parents who have no faith in God themselves, and 
no trust in Christ; and who live and act as if there 
were no heaven and no hell; and who consider this 
world as their home ; and bring up their children to 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 189 

feel and to act as they do. Now it is not strange 
that such children should love such parents, and 
sometimes be very affectionate and dutiful to them ; 
though this is very far from always being the case. 

But let parents be like Jacob. Let them fear and ^ 
obey God, and strive to bring up their children in 
his fear ; and then it will often happen that these 
children will have no true and lasting affection and 
dutiful ness to such parents, unless they have also, 
as Joseph had, a strong and active faith in God. 

It is the duty of children to love and obey their 
parents as well in their absence as when they are 
present : as well in little things as in great ; as 
well, when to obey may be attended with inconveni- 
ence, or self-denial, or even suffering, as when it is 
pleasant and agreeable ; as well, with regard to 
what relates to God and the Savior, to the soul, and 
to the future world, as with regard to the things of 
this life. 

Children, too, must hold out in their affection and 
dutifulness to their parents. There must be perma- 
nent traits of character. They must last through 
life. They must lead the child at all times, and under 
all circumstances ; in adversity as well as in pros- 
perity, in sickness as well as in health, and especial- 
ly amid the infirmities and feebleness of declining 



190 HISTORY Of JOSEPH. 

years, to do all he possibly can to make his parents 
comfortable and happy. 

Now, if these parents have any true love to God, 
how anxious they must feel to see their children 
^Iso the friends of God and of the Redeemer ! 
How unhappy they must feel to see them living in 
impenitence and sin ! 

Children, then, to make pious parents happy, 
must be pious themselves. And how often it is the 
case, that parents who have no love to God them- 
selves, and no faith in Jesus Christ, still would be 
glad to see their children among the number of his 
followers. For their conscience tells them that this 
is the only true good. 

Compare what I have been saying with your 
own feelings and conduct, and tell me if it is not 
all true. Yes, it is true. And you cannot be a truly 
affectionate and dutiful child, so as to have that love 
to your parents, and perform those duties toward 
them which God requires, unless you have faith in 
God, such faith as Joseph had, and which I have 
described. 

If you love and obey your parents, in any good 
degree, as you ought, it is because you have faith 
in God and in Christ; and your constant prayer 
should be, that your faith may be increased ; that it 
may be, like Joseph's, a vigorous and active faith ; 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 191 

and that it may lead you to be still more affection- 
ate, and still more dutiful, to those who have done so 
much for you. 

And if any of you, my dear children, are disobe- 
dient and undutiful to your parents, which there is 
reason to fear may be the case, think of the great 
sinfulness of such conduct. It is not only base and 
ungrateful in the sight of men, but it is peculiarly 
hateful in the sight of God. It is a direct violation 
of one of his commandments. It will, if persisted 
in, and not repented of, draw down upon you the 
most terrible expressions of his displeasure. 

It shows that you have no true faith in God, no 
love toward him, no desire to do his will. 

Can you dare to remain any longer in this 
state ? 

Joseph's faith in God produced another striking 
trait in his character — kind and affectionate feelings 
toward his brethren, and a desire to do those good 
who had done him much evil. 

Nothing but that faith in God and the Redeemer 
which leads us to believe all that the Bible teaches 
us concerning the character of God and of Christ, 
and to love them, and to desire to be like them; 
nothing but such a faith can produce in the heart 
any true love to our fellow-men. And, on the other 
hand, if we truly love our fellow-men,^and desire to 



192 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

promote their best good, both in this world and the 
next, it is one of the best evidences we can have 
that we truly love God. 

Are you like Joseph in this respect % Do you 
feel and conduct toward your brothers and sisters 
as he did toward his brethren? Do you try to do 
them all the good in your power ? Do you try to do 
their souls good ? Do you kindly advise them, if 
you see them doing wrong ? Do you set them a 
good example in your own conversation and con- 
duct ? Do you pra^r that you may be enabled to do 
this ? Do you pray for them, that God w^ould give 
them his Holy Spirit and make them the followers 
of Christ ? Are you patient and meek if they say or 
do any thing to irritate or injure -^om ? Do you feel 
no resentment or revenge toward them ? Do you 
forgive them, and return good for their evil ? Do 
you pray to God to forgive them, and to lead them 
to better feelings and conduct % 

Without such feelings and conduct toward your 
hr others and sisters, you show that you have no 
true love to your fellow-men, and that you have no 
true love to God. 

You show that you are quite unlike Joseph; that 
you are quite unlike the pure and holy beings with 
whom he is now so happy in loving and serving 
God; and that, continuing as you are, you are 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 193 

wholly unfit to go to that world where all is love, 
and peace, and joy. 

Int^ that world none can be admitted whose sins 
are not forgiven through the blood of Christ. And 
he himself has declared, that if you forgive not 
others, you can have 710 ho^c of forgiveness from 
God. 

*' If a man say, I love God, and hateth his bro- 
ther, he is a liar ; for he that loveth not his bro- 
ther whom he hath seen, how can he love God 
whom he hath not seen ? 

" Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy 
heart, and soul, and strength, and mind,-— and thy 
neighbor as thyself" 



CHAPTER XXXVII. 



Joseph's MeUty in the discharge of his duties. — Instances 
of it. — It grew out of his faith in God.^ — Has the reader 
the same fidelity, growing out of the same faith 'J 

Joseph had a vigorous and active faith in God. 
He believed that the eye of God was upon him at 
all times ; and this led him to great fidelity in the 
r L. J. 17 



194 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

discharge of his duties toward those who employed 
him. 

This trait of his character shone forth in all the 
situations in which he was placed. 

He felt it to be a duty that he owed to his father, 
to tell him of the wicked conduct of some of his 
brethren, and he did not fear to discharge his duty. 

He faithfully obeyed his father in going first to 
Shechem, and afterward to Dothan, to see his breth- 
ren, notwithstanding he must certainly have had 
some reason to fear their resentment. 

He was so faithful while a servant, or rather 
slave, in the house of Potiphar, that he was intrust- 
ed by the latter with the charge of all his domestic 
concerns. 

While a prisoner, his conduct in small things was 
such — his faithfulness in complying with all the re- 
gulations and commands of the keeper — that he was 
intrusted with the care of the other prisoners, and 
with the management of the whole prison. And 
doubtless, in this difficult and responsible situation, 
he showed equal fidelity in the discharge of his 
duties. 

All this was strengthening his habits, and forming 
his character, and preparing him to be able to dis- 
charge still more arduous duties with still greater 
fidelity and success. 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 195 

No doubt Pharaoh had heard of his conduct while 
with Potiphar, and in the prison, and he knew that 
such a man could be trusted. 

He elevated Joseph near to the throne, and made 
him governor of Egypt. 

In that arduous and laborious station, and in the 
midst of the most trying circumstances, you have 
seen with what fidelity he performed his duty. How 
exactly he carried into effect all the wishes of the 
king for the relief of the Egyptians, and how faith- 
fully he fulfilled all his own promises to his father 
and to his brethren. 

He looked to God, indeed, for his Holy Spirit, that 
he might be thus faithful. He knew that every good 
thought, and feeling, and purpose, must come from 
above. Under all circumstances, he felt the need of 
divine wisdom, grace, and strength. He prayed for 
them. And he was a man of prayer, because he was 
a man of faith. See what it is to be a truly good 
man. Such an one is faithful in the discharge of all 
his duties to his fellow-men, as well as those which 
he owes more directly to God. 

He is faithful in small things as well as in great. 
He is faithful when removed from the sight of his 
fellow-men, as well as when in their presence. He 
is faithful as well in adversity as in prosperity ; as 
well when he meets with injustice and oppression. 



196 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

as when he receives approbation and his due re- 
ward. 

Such was the faithfulness of Joseph. Is such your 
faithfuhiess to your parents, to your instructors, to 
your employers, to all to whom you have made any 
promises, or toward whom you have any duties to 
perform. 

Without such faithfulness, in small things, too, as 
well as great, your character will be exceedingly 
defective, even in the opinion of your fellow-men. 

You will fail of securing their confidence. They 
will not trust you with any business of importance. 
You will find it very difficult, if not impossible, to 
succeed in what you imdertake. 

But what is worse, your conscience will condemn 
you. You will feel that you have done wrong to 
others, that you have not done to thevi as you would 
have them do to you, and that you are unworthy of 
their confidence and esteem^ 

You will lose, too, the favor of God. He sees 
all who are unfaithful, at all times, and in all places. 
You cannot escape his notice. You will have to 
render to him a strict account for all your want of 
fidelity in the discharge of the duties which you owe 
to your fellow-men. 

Pray ; strive that you may be kept from such guilt 
and folly. Pray for faith in God, for a deep and 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 197 

constant feeling that his eye is always upon you, and 
for a willingness and courage to be faithful in the 
discharge of your duties, and the fulfillment of your 
promises to your fellow-men ; because it is his will 
that f/ou should thus show your love to him, and ohedi- 
ence to his coinmarids. 



CHAPTER XXXVIII, 

Joseph's resolution in resisting temptation. — It grew out of 
his faith in God. — The reader has his temptations. — How 
to get strength to overcome them. — Joseph's dependence 
on God, and submission to his will. — These grew out of 
his faith in God. — Has the reader this dependence and 
submission ? 

We have seen in one event of Joseph's life, how 
his faith in God enabled him to resist and overcome 
a temptation to very great wickedness. From his 
conduct at that time, we have reason to conclude 
that the strength of his obedience to the commands of 
God, and his fear of sinning against him, when ex- 
posed to powerful temptation, was another striking 
trait in his chojracter. 

That he was often exposed to such temptations, 
there can be no doubt. Living in the midst of an 

L. J. 17* 



198 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

idolatrous and wicked people, and, during the prin- 
cipal part of his life, with kings, and those who were 
abundant in wealth and high in rank, he must have 
had many inducements of pleasure, and allurements 
of sin, to draw him aside from the love and service 
of God. 

His whole character, as it appears in the history 
to which we have been attending, and especially in 
the latter part of it, shows that he must have resisted 
many temptations, and manifested his devotedness of 
heart and life to the God of his fathers. 

Temptations are not confined to the rich and pow- 
erful. No station or age is free from them. 

You have your peculiar temptations. Some com- 
panion invites you to go to places, or to do things 
which you know to be wrong, and often highly of- 
fensive to God. Or, some alluring object is present- 
ed to you, in pursuing and attaining which you 
are sensible that you will be led to forget God, and 
your duty toward him. 

Now, under such circumstances, what has been 
your conduct ? Have you yielded to such tempta- 
tions, or have you, like Joseph, resisted and over- 
come them ? 

The oftener you yield, the less and the less will be 
your power of resistance. 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 199 

The oftener you overcome, the easier will be each 
future struggle and victory. 

But to resist and to overcome temptation, you 
must have, as Joseph had, a vigorous and active 
faith in God. You must feel that he is near you, 
noticing all that you say and do, and looking into 
your inmost thoughts. You must feel, that it is a 
great guilt and folly to offend so good and just a 
Being, that his displeasure is to be dreaded as the 
worst of evils, and the preservation of his favor as 
the only true happiness. 

How can I do this great wickedness and sin 
against God ! was the pious exclamation of Joseph, 
when exposed to temptation. 

Let it be yours, when you are tempted. It is your 
only safety. Without it, and without that faith in 
God from which it proceeds, you are in the midst 
of dangers, in this wicked and ensnaring world, 
which you may little suspect or fear, but which may 
prove your ruin, both in this life and that which is 
to come. 

Go to Christ. Trust in him. Pray, in his namO; 
for strength from above to resist temptation, and it 
shall be given you ; and j^ou shall triumph over the 
enemies of your soul. 

Neglect to do this, and you will yield to one 
temptation after another, till you become the slave 



200 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

of sin, with no hope of escape from its dreadful 
bondage. 

Another trait in the character of Joseph, and inti- 
mately connected with the one which we have been 
considering, was his feeling of dependence on God, 
and submission to his will. 

This too, like all his other good traits of charac- 
ter, grew out of his faith in God. This faith led him 
to hare a deep and abiding conviction of the provi- 
dence of God, extending to all events, the most mi- 
nute as well as the greatest. 

He felt that he was continually under the care 
and direction of this providence of God, and that, 
without it guiding and sustaining him, he could of 
himself do nothing. 

This feeling of dependence on God produced, in 
the mind of Joseph, submission to the will of God. 

He felt that God had a right to do with him as 
he deemed best ; and we find that, in the most try- 
ing and distressing circumstances, Joseph had a pa- 
tient and uncomplaining spirit. 

Have you this feeling of dependence on God, and 
submission to his will ? 

Ah ! how prone you are to rely on your own 
strength, and to feel as if every thing must yield to 
your will i 

^* You- can do this, and you can do that," you say — 



tttSTORY OF :rosEPH. 20i 

" you know you can. You are not afraid of falling 
into such and such disgraceful and wicked conduct." 

And then, ho^v often your will has resisted the 
will of your parents, and of others whom God has 
commanded you to obey ; while in this, and in vari- 
ous other ways, you have resisted the will of God 
himself. 

How many times, too, you have shown a fretful, 
murmuring and complaining spirit ; discontented 
with what your parents and friends thought best for 
you, and dissatisfied with the dealings of God's pro- 
vidence toward you. 

Has it not been so in too many instances ? And 
does it not all show how much you need to humble 
yourself before God ; to repent of these and all your 
other sins ; to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for for- 
giveness, and acceptance Avith God ; and to pray 
earnestly for the Holy Spirit, that you may be led to 
feel your dependence on God, and to have an entire 
submission to his will. 



202 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 



Joseph's humility. — Proofs of it. — Humility in good men- 
grows out of their faith in God. — Has the reader this hu- 
mility 1 — Without it we can have no interest in Christ. 

Humility I tliink deserves to be noticed as a trait 
in the character of Joseph. It is not so striking, per- 
haps, as some others, and yet it would seem that he 
possessed it in no inconsiderable degree. 

If he had been a proud person, and inclined to 
think highly of himself, there was much in his ele- 
vation to the entire charge of Potiphar's domestic 
concerns to awaken such feelings within his breast. 

And ii he had been thus puffed up by his eleva- 
tion, is it at all probable that he would have had 
such faith in God, such a fear of sinning- ao-ainst 
him, and such strength to overcome a powerful temp- 
tation ? 

^' God resisieth the proud, hut givcth grace to 
the humble,'' Would Joseph have had this grace 
given to him, if he had not been humble ? 

There was much in the circumstances attending 
his beinof brousrht before Pharaoh to excite his 
pride, if he had not been, on the whole, and habitu- 
ally, a person of humility. 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 203 

The wise men of Egypt, many in number, and 
greatly respected both by the king and people, in 
vain attempted to interpret his dreams. Joseph, a 
young man, was sent for, and requested to do what 
all these wise men had confessed was far beyond 
their skill 

Pharaoh addressed him, as if he thought Joseph 
himself had the power of making the interpretation. 

What a strong temptation to conceal the truth, 
and to excite toward himself the admiration and re- 
spect of the Egyptian monarch, and his whole cir- 
cle of wise men, and officers, and men of high rank 
around him ! But Joseph's faith in God was vigo- 
rous and active at the time. He knew that all his 
skill to interpret dreams came from above: and 
with a becoming modesty, and true humility of cha- 
r-acter, he said, "// is not in me : God shall give 
J^haraoh an ansioer of fcaceP 

In his subsequent very high exaltation to be go- 
vernor of Egypt, and in all his deportment toward 
Jiis brethren and father, and treatment of them, there 
is nothing that looks like boasting or pride. On the 
contrary, his kind and forgiving spirit ; the great af- 
fection and respect which he manifested toward his 
aged parent ; his always referring his elevation to 
the providence of God ; and the memorable words 
w^th which he endeavored to allay the fears of his 



204 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

brethren, when they dreaded his just resentment; 
''Fear not; for am I in the place of God?^^ all 
these things tend to show that he njust have had 
true humility of char act er» 

And such is the character of all good men, what- 
ever their possessions, or learning, or rank, or repu- 
tation may be. 

They are sensible — as I have no doubt Joseph 
Avas — how very little they know, although others 
may esteem them wise ; and how imperfect and sin- 
ful they have been, and continue to be, although 
others may regard them with approbation and es- 
teem. 

Their faith in God leads them to look up to him 
as a Being of spotless purity and perfect holiness of 
character, and to feel very humble in his presence* 
And when they look round on their fellow-men, 
should they see any not loving and serving God as 
they hope they do, or their inferiors in any respect^ 
they ask themselves, who maketh me to differ ? 

They know that they are naturally no better than 
others; that if there is a difference, the grace of 
God has made it ; and that, in their intercourse with 
their fellow-men, they should cultivate a meek and 
quiet spirit ; remembering, that '* before honor is 
humility,'^ and that " blessed are the poor in spirit, 
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 205 

Are you among the number of those who are 
thus poor ill spirit ? Do you know what it is to feel 
truly humble in the sight of God on account of 
your great unworthiness ; that you have sinned 
against him so often, and so much ; and that you 
have loved and served him so little, or, perhaps, not 
at all ? 

How do you feel and conduct toward those 
around you ? Do you feel proud of youx appear- 
ance and dress ; of the family to which you belong ; 
of your attainments of any kind ; of your prospects 
in life ; or perhaps, even of your good feelings and 
conduct ? 

Do you treat others w^ith unkindness or neglect, 
Avith haughtiness or contempt? Do you look on 
any, even the most degraded and worthless, as be- 
neath your notice ? 

I propose these inquiries, that you may look hack 
upon your past conduct, and look into your present 
thoughts and feelings, and see w^hether you have 
any true humility of spirit. 

Without such humility you can have no interest 
in Jesus Christ and his salvation. He was himself 
meek and lowly in heart ; and such must all his 
followers be. 

Had he not humbled himself, and been willing to 
leave the glories of his heavenly state, and lead a 

L, J. 18 



206 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

life of reproach, and die a death of ignominy, what 
would have heen our condition? Lost, undone, 
hopeless, we should have perished in our sins if 
this Savior had not humbled himself to redeem us 
from sin and hell. 

And shall vje not be humble ; we^ poor, misera- 
ble sinners, who have so much that ought to make 
and keep us humble ! We be proud and haughty ! 

What are we — what have we — to be proud of! 



CHAPTER XL. 



Joseph had general benevolence of character. — This grew 
out of his faith in God. — The reader can do good in many 
ways. — Has he a desire to do good ? — Does this desire lead 
to action. — Where there is no such desire and conduct, 
there is great guilt and danger. 

From all that we have seen of the character of 
Joseph, we must conclude that it was one oi general 
heneiwlence. 

Faith worketh hy love. In other words, a true 
faith in God always produces in the heart a desire 
to do good to others ; and this desire is accompanied 
by corresponding conversation and conduct. 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 207 

Such was the faith of Joseph. It led him to exer- 
cise good-will toward his fellow men, and to en- 
deavor to do them good. 

We do not find him laying plans for himself 
alone, so as to promote his own ambitions views. 
Throughout the whole course of his life, his eleva- 
tion and power were brought about by the provi- 
dence of God, and not by his own seeking. 

The general esteem, too, in which he appears to 
have been held, both by the king and the whole 
nation, shows the kind and benevolent character of 
his conduct. Had it been otherwise, the kindred of 
Joseph would not have been welcomed so cordially 
by Pharaoh, nor such striking respect been shown 
to Jacob in the great attendance at his funeral. 

No other than a kind and benevolent ruler would 
have received such marks of respect and attach- 
ment from a powerful monarch and his numerous 
subjects. 

To endeavor to do good to others; this should be 
the great object of your desires and j^our efforts. 
Even young as you are, there are many ways in 
A^^ich you can do this. 

How often, while with your brothers and sisters 
and companions, you can say something, or do 
something in a kind manner, that will tend to make 
them better and happier. 



208 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

Are there no poor persons, also, in your neigh- 
borhood, to whom your parents or friends are will- 
ing to give something which you can carry to them, 
and thus get the habit, in your younger days, of re- 
lieving the wants of the necessitous 1 

Are you not old enough to earn something by 
your own labor, that you can give to some one of 
the benevolent objects in which good people are en- 
gaged ? 

Have you not opportunities every day (while you 
feel for the souls of those around you, and pray for 
them) of saying something to them that, under the 
blessing of God, may lead them to the Savior, and 
to imitate his example ? 

Have you a desire thus to do good to others ? If 
you have, I rejoice greatly, and pray that it may 
increase, and that you may live to have such bene- 
volent feelings form the constant state of your soul, 
and make you more and more like the inhabitants 
of heaven, and prepare you to be holy and happy 
with them, for ever. 

But remember, that if you truly have such a de- 
sire, it will manifest itself in action — in something 
that you say and do. 

If you are saying and doing nothing to make 
others better and happier, then it is certain that you 
have no feelings of benevolence toward them. 



HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 209 

For benevolent feelings will lead to benevolent 
conduct as surely as a good fruit-tree will bear good 
fruit, or a pure fountain send forth pure water. 

Have you no such benevolent feelings? Have 
you no desire to make those around you good and 
happy ? Do you take no interest in the welfare of 
their immortal souls ? 

Ah ! my dear children, if such is the case with 
any of you, you are in a state of great guilt and 
danger. 

God is love. He is perfectly benevolent. He de-^ 
lights in doing good. He is incessantly doing good. 

Jesus Christ is jperfectly benevolent. Think of 
what he has done and suffered to make you and 
others eternally happy, if you will but trust in him, 
and imitate his blessed example. 

The inhabitants of heaven are perfectly benevolent. 
They delight in loving and serving God ; in pro- 
moting the holiness and happiness of all around 
them, and in executing any of the commands of God 
in his designs of benevolence and mercy. 

And you have no such benevolent feelings I You 
do nothing to make^ others better and happier. You 
think only of yourself, and how you may have this 
and the other means of enjoyment. You are willing 
that your parents and friends and others should contri- 
bute to your happiness, and yet you regard not theirs. 



210 HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 

Does not this show that you are very selfish and 
sinful ? How can God look on you but with displea- 
sure ? How can he receive you to heaven, unless 
there is a great change in your feelings and 
conduct ? 

You need this change, so that love to God and love 
to your fellow-men may take the place of your pre- 
sent selfish feelings and conduct. 

But there will be no such changes, you will not 
even begin to feel and act right, till you do tuw things; 
till you feel truly sorry for your selfishness and sins, 
and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to save you from 
all sin. Here you must begin. 

Will you begin now, and humbly confess your sin- 
fulness to God, and look to Christ for salvation, and 
pray for the Holy Spirit to be shed down upon your 
sou], that thus a great change may take place in it j 
a change from sin to holiness ; a change from a sel- 
fish regard to your own happiness, to an o.rdent love 
to God and the Savior, and a desire to do all in your 
jpower to make others good and ha^pfy ? 



THE END. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 





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